Forest Heights Community School

Background

Forest Heights Community School, often referred to as FHCS or Forest Heights, was founded in 1992 as part of an amalgamation due to the closing of Chester High School and New Ross High School located in two nearby communities. Forest Heights is seeded by two middle schools – Chester Area Middle School and New Ross Consolidated School. Although students from Chester and New Ross make up the bulk of the student body, other communities serviced by Forest Heights include Chester Grant, Western Shore, Tancook Island, Hubbards, Fox Point, Mill Cove, and Blanford. Forest Heights is actually in Chester Grant, just past the Chester Basin/Chester Grant road signs.

Enrollment

Given the rural location of FHCS the student body has historically hovered around the 400 student mark with all students having access to school bus transportation. 272 students were officially enrolled in 2013-14. The staff is made up of 22 teachers, 4 teaching assistants, 2 counselors, 2 administrators, 1 secretary, 3 custodians, 3 cafeteria staff and 1 community coordinator. There is currently no librarian presently working there, due to Nova Scotia education cuts.

Academics

Forest Heights is a grade 9-12 school and offers a variety of course options for students. Several math streams ranging from essentials to calculus are offered as well as several English streams. Art, Drama, Dance, Music, Child Studies, Production Technology, Science, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Film and Video, Design, Sociology, Geography, History, Law, Political Science, French, and Physical Education are all offered.

Forest Heights also provides the Options and Opportunities program that give students co-op placements in the workplace while still earning class credit.

Notable students

Private Richard Green was a member of the Canadian Forces stationed in Afghanistan who was killed on April 18, 2002, at the age of 21. He was among a group of the first four Canadian Forces casualties in Afghanistan. He died as a result of friendly fire when an American fighter jet dropped a bomb on the Canadian soldiers during a training exercise. The pilot, Major Harry Schmidt, had ignored orders to wait for confirmation. Richard 'Ricky' Green graduated from Forest Heights in 1998.

Notable faculty

Judy Streatch is the former Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for the riding of Chester-St. Margaret's. Judy was a teacher at Forest Heights Community School until June 21, 2005 when she took a permanent leave of absence when she won a by-election for a seat vacated by the late John Chataway.

Former Principal Joe Feeney is the current mayor for the town of Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia.