Forest Hills board names two finalists for superintendent, sets open house and second interviews

The Forest Hills Public Schools Board of Education voted unanimously Tuesday to invite two finalists back for second interviews as it moves toward selecting a new superintendent.

The board named Benjamin Kirby and Dr. Gary Kinzer as finalists and approved a schedule of in‑district visits, a public open house and a second interview format that will include a 20‑minute “90‑day plan” presentation followed by roughly 75 minutes of questions. The motion to invite the two finalists carried 7–0.

Dr. Gary Kinzer, who was the evening’s interviewee, described a 31‑year career in public education and said he is interested in Forest Hills because it is a “place where I think I’ve been very happy and successful.” Kinzer, introduced as the superintendent of Mason Public Schools, told trustees he views two early priorities as building a cohesive district culture across Forest Hills’ three attendance areas and planning for housing‑related enrollment pressures: “I see a district of over 9,000 students with 3 separate attendance areas,” he said.

Kinzer emphasized routine, team‑based communication and using media strategically: “We have a communications team…we open a Google doc, we start drafting, we work together,” he said. He also prioritized core instructional support, safety and staffing as budgetary priorities, and described hands‑on bond and facilities experience, including participation in a large bond effort and subsequent series work focused on infrastructure and HVAC.

Board members praised several candidates’ strengths in the initial round. During the public discussion of finalists, the board president publicly described Benjamin Kirby as a strong communicator and candidate with experience across HR, transportation and curriculum; another trustee highlighted a finalist with a marketing and communications background as having “home‑turf” advantages for the district. After discussion about whether to bring two or three candidates back, one trustee moved to extend second interviews to Kirby and Kinzer; the motion was seconded and approved in roll call vote.

The board and staff outlined next steps: each finalist will spend about a half‑day in the district (school tours led by pairs of trustees), candidates will participate in a public open house (tentatively scheduled for the 19th, 3:00–4:30 p.m.), and each finalist will deliver a 20‑minute presentation about their first 90 days, followed by trustee questions. The board asked trustees to submit prioritized questions in advance and to keep deliberations open and fair as the process continues.

The board closed the meeting after approving the schedule and thanking staff and community members for participating. The final selection process will continue after the in‑district visits and second interviews.