If you are passionate about the school district and would like to use your talent to help students achieve lifelong success, we invite you to volunteer for a board position. Please contact the Educational Foundation office if you would like to talk with someone about your interest. 

Staff

Amy Clark - Foundation Director 

You don’t always have the opportunity to see the impact of a gift. But a gift to the Educational Foundation has a direct impact on academics in Forest Hills. Given the uncertainty of state funding, it is critical for our district to have an independent means of maintaining the excellence which we have all come to expect. I am passionate about kids, and about education, and I know that this work changes both students and teachers in our classrooms every day.

Current Board Members

Patti Baldwin

We moved to this district because it offered a high-quality education. I now volunteer for the Educational Foundation because I feel it is essential to the district’s success. A quality education is not just a benefit for today; it has a ripple effect on families, businesses and the community for years to come. We can’t count on state funding to help us maintain our leading edge - but we can count on the Educational Foundation to help our students succeed.

Steve Bandyk
Account Executive - Lighthouse Insurance

Forest Hills is one of those districts that has maintained its desirability for many years. This comes in no small part because of the excellent reputation of the schools. The Educational Foundation is one way I can help my kids and the thousands of other students here achieve their best. I’ve been involved with the Educational Foundation since 2003 and I am deeply committed to its ongoing success.

Elizabeth L. Banta
Owner - B2 Consulting

Funding for Michigan schools is precarious at best. But an education is one of the single most important gifts we can give our children. My husband attended Forest Hills Central, and we moved to this neighborhood precisely because of the schools. I am committed to helping our district provide a remarkable education to all the children who pass through our doors. The Educational Foundation is a wonderful vehicle for raising awareness and also raising money for our schools.

Cheryl Berrodin

I have volunteered in the district for many years, in many different roles, as the mother of three children. Being on the Board of the Educational Foundation allows me to focus my energies in ways that enrich thousands of students each year. Forest Hills is a district that keeps the best interest of its students firmly in mind, and I am excited about providing teachers with the specialized tools they need to maintain a high standard of excellence.

Christopher Engle
Partner - Argus Financial Consultants

A strong public school system is a critical component of a strong community. It has become clear that we cannot rely on the state to provide sufficient resources to maintain our standard of excellent education. As a parent of three children, I believe that education is critical to their success in life. I joined the board because I believe in a strong relationship between the Forest Hills school district and the community of families it serves.

Wendy Fisk

We all realize that state funding falls woefully short of what is needed to maintain a standard of excellence in education. I graduated from Forest Hills Central, and I have a child in the school system, so I know that the Foundation grants directly benefit the day-to-day learning of the students. I have been involved with the Foundation since 2008, and I am committed to building awareness of its role in our district.

Gregory Ford
Optometrist/Managing Partner - West Michigan Eyecare Associates

I believe that a great school district is the backbone of a great community. I’m a Forest Hills Central graduate, and I have three children in the school system, so I know first-hand what this district has done for its students and the community. The Educational Foundation is an incredibly important part of maintaining excellence in our district, and I am honored to have a role in its continuing success.

Mark Hunting
Attorney - Miller Johnson

Other Affiliations:
Treasurer - Paws with a Cause
Member - Grand Rapids Bar Association
Member - State Bar of Michigan
Member - American Bar Association

Success today depends on book smarts, but also street smarts, experience and creativity. The Educational Foundation encourages all of those qualities through the grants we make, and through the support we provide teachers who are seeking to foster these traits in the students. I believe in the mission and purpose of the Educational Foundation because it helps us top the list of desirable school districts in Michigan.

Jeannine Leslie

I believe that when it comes to community involvement in a school district, the impact of the whole is much greater than the impact of individual parts. My children attend school in the district, and I know that all parents share my desire for their children to receive the best possible education. The Educational Foundation has the momentum and the reach to make a lasting impact on the quality of education in our district.

David Moored
CFO and Partner - Wireless Now, Inc.

I know from experience that technology is a cornerstone of business. So why shouldn’t it be central to education? The Educational Foundation provides our teachers and students with the tools and technologies that will help them succeed in a cut-throat, competitive world. Every time a child learns a in a different way, he or she becomes better able to assimilate new ideas and techniques. That’s the goal of education, and that’s what the Foundation helps our students achieve.

Walter Perschbacher IV
Realtor - Greenridge Realty

The most important gift we can give to our children is a quality education. That gift relies on the willingness of the community to invest and re-invest in our school district. I attended Forest Hills Central, and I now live in the district. I am committed to helping Forest Hills remain one of the premier public school districts in the state. My involvement with the Educational Foundation is one positive step in that direction.

A. Jeffrey Schreur
Regional President - Coldwell Banker AJS-Schmidt
Vice President, Grubb & Ellis/Paramount Commerce

Other Affiliations:
Member - National Association of Realtors
Member - Michigan Association of Realtors
Member - Grand Rapids Association of Realtors

My ten grandchildren all currently attend, or will attend, Forest Hills schools, as did my children. An outstanding education is a legacy that does not grow old. It is an investment that provides returns for a lifetime. I have been involved with the Forest Hills Educational Foundation since its inception more than 20 years ago. I am proud to say we have touched hundreds of thousands of children in our district through the Educational Foundation’s work.

Denise Sherwood
Vice President - Aon

Other Affiliations:
Board member - Women’s Resource Center
Board member - YWCA
Board member - International Society of Certified Employee Benefit Specialists, West Michigan Chapter
Member - InForum Regional Council for West Michigan

I believe it is important to acknowledge that school funding is a challenge at the state level. But more importantly, I want to be part of the solution that provides the resources our district needs in order to succeed. Excellence education does not happen by chance, and it does not happen without a concerted effort on the part of the entire community. The Educational Foundation is one way of making sure our children have the resources they need.

Matt Smith
Director - Deloitte Tax LLP

Other Affiliations:
Member - American Institute of Certified Public Accountants
Member - Wisconsin Institute of Certified Public Accountants
Member - Michigan Institute of Certified Public Accountants

I have always been an active member of the community in which I live. When I moved to MIchigan in 2006, I became involved with the Forest Hills Educational Foundation to better understand the challenges facing our district. We as a community are responsible for the education of our children. The Educational Foundation is an invaluable asset that provides teachers with the tools they need to help our students excel.

Curt Wells

Chair Elect - Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce
Board Member - Seidman College of Business, Grand Valley State University
Inaugural Committee Member - Jay and Betty VanAndel Family Legacy Awards
Past Co-Chair-Finance - Spectrum Health Care Foundation

I have been committed to public education for a number of years, through my work with the Educational Foundation as well as other educational institutions. I am convinced that we can’t rely on government funding to maintain our leading edge in education. Our grants help attract better teachers; build a skilled work force; and maintain the high level of cumulative success that so many people have worked to achieve in our school district.

 Please click here to view a list of our former board members.