Forest Hills Board hires Ben Kirby as superintendent after finalist interviews

The Forest Hills Board of Education voted March 19 to hire Ben Kirby as the district’s next superintendent, contingent on successful contract negotiations, following a special meeting that featured 75‑minute interviews with two finalists.

Kirby, who delivered a 20‑minute presentation of a 90‑day transition plan, told the board his early work would focus on “listening and learning” across students, staff, parents and community partners before recommending action. “Leaders must first seek to understand, then to be understood,” Kirby said during his presentation.

In a nut graf, board members said they chose Kirby because of his detailed, evidence‑based approach to district priorities, emphasis on student voice and relationship building, and experience managing districts with multiple high schools and ongoing bond projects. The board made the appointment by roll‑call vote after a deliberation in which members and community feedback were weighed.

Kirby’s 90‑day plan, as presented, centers on four areas: student achievement and curriculum (including review of third‑grade reading and state/local assessment data), building‑level visits and safety protocols (including threat assessment and SRO use), financial and operational review (budget audits and bond project coordination), and district governance and communication. He provided the board with a written plan and a website, benkirbyinspire.com, for detailed documents.

During the interview, board members pressed Kirby on principal concerns for the district: recruiting and retaining support staff, staff morale, handling a structural budget deficit, DEIB and student belonging, and strategies to retain resident students amid school‑choice pressures. On staffing, Kirby cited targeted referral incentives, job fairs and retention stipends as examples he has used; on morale he described well‑being committees, visible leadership and legislative advocacy to reduce external burdens on teachers. He noted the district’s resident capture rate is about 94 percent in his data review.

The other finalist, Dr. Gary Kinzer (currently superintendent in Mason Public Schools), presented a similarly structured 90‑day plan that emphasized relationships, classroom observations, data review, operational efficiency and governance. Kinzer highlighted inclusion week and administrator capacity building as examples of his DEIB work and described disciplinary processes aligned to the Michigan Revised School Code.

After hearing both presentations and conducting question‑and‑answer sessions, the board convened to deliberate. Multiple board members praised both finalists for experience and fit; several cited community feedback forms and personal conversations with district staff and stakeholders that favored Kirby. A motion to hire Kirby was made by one board member and seconded by another; the board then conducted a roll‑call vote and recorded unanimous assent.

The hire is contingent on contract negotiations. The board and its search consultant indicated they will work quickly to finalize terms and issue a public announcement; staff said a press release and timely outreach to the candidates would follow. The board also discussed next steps for transition planning, including how the new superintendent will engage with building leaders, bond project teams and community groups.

The board’s formal motion read: “Hire Ben Kirby as the next superintendent of Forest Hills Public Schools contingent upon successful contract negotiations.” The motion was moved and seconded and passed on a roll‑call vote.

The meeting adjourned after the vote.

What’s next: Contract negotiations between the board and Kirby are expected to begin immediately; the board indicated it will coordinate a press release and start transition planning when the contract is finalized.