Forest Hills school board selects Larry Hook of Springboro Schools as next superintendent

Forest Hills School District has a new superintendent, pending a Wednesday board vote: current superintendent of Springboro Community City School District and almost state superintendent Larry Hook.

Hook will replace Scot Prebles, who began serving Forest Hills in 2016. Prebles announced this spring that he is moving to the Cleveland area to become superintendent of Bay Village City Schools.

Forest Hills has approximately 1,000 more students than Springboro Schools, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. Niche ranked Forest Hills at No. 25 for best school districts in the state, and Springboro at No. 71,

State data shows 12% of Forest Hills students are at an economic disadvantage, while about 7% of Springboro students fit that description. Both schools are predominantly white, with 87% of Forest Hills students identifying as white and 90% of Springboro students identifying as white.

Hook was runner-up to lead Ohio's K-12 education department earlier this year. Steve Dackin got that job, but resigned two weeks into his tenure. A member of the state Board of Education suggested hiring Hook after Dackin's resignation, but the idea was shot down in a 10-7 vote.

Forest Hills' superintendent search narrowed last week when one of the three finalists, Edgewood's Russ Fussnecker, withdrew his name from the search hours before the final round of interviews began. He cited the board's recent approval of an anti-critical race theory resolution as the reason for his backing down.

"In light of the Board action taken at the meeting last night, I have decided that my leadership style would not take Forest Hills in the direction it appears to be going," Fussnecker wrote in an email to Forest Hills leadership.

Parents in the district also showed their disdain for the new policy by starting a petition demanding the board repeal their vote. Two lawyers, who are also district parents, sent a letter to the board Monday, threatening legal action due to the policy being "unconstitutional."

But Hook appears more in line with the current Forest Hills board of education, having made a similar announcement regarding critical race theory one year ago to Springboro community members.

He told Springboro families that the district has not and would not support or implement critical race theory into curriculum at any grade level. He wrote in a July 2021 letter to families that the district would not teach that the U.S. "is systematically racist," that socialism and communism are "morally superior" to democracy, capitalism and a free-market economy, that "any gender, ethnicity, religious heritage, or race should feel superior or inferior" or that anyone should "feel guilt or shame due to their ethnicity, religious heritage, race, or gender."

Critical race theory is a college-level legal theory but critics believe it has influenced curriculum and policies around race, diversity and equity in Ohio's K-12 schools.

“I am truly honored and delighted to be presented with this opportunity,” Hook said in a Monday announcement from Forest Hills. “I look forward to working with students, staff, parents and the community to ensure Forest Hills maintains its strong commitment to academic excellence and student success, both in and out of the classroom.”

Hook comes to Forest Hills with nearly 30 years of administrative experience. He served as assistant superintendent of Springboro Schools from 2002-2010 before returning as superintendent in 2020. In the interim, he served as superintendent of Carlisle Local School District. He also has leadership experience at Milford Exempted Village School District.

Hook received his master's degree in education from Xavier University and earned a bachelor's degree in biological science and physical education from Central University of Iowa, according to Monday's announcement from Forest Hills.

“I am confident that Mr. Hook will be an excellent addition to our school district,” school board president Linda Hausfeld said in a Monday announcement. “His passion for students and education, as well as his ability to unite all stakeholders, sets a strong foundation for the future of Forest Hills School District.”

The board will vote on Hook's contract at a special meeting scheduled for 6:15 p.m. Wednesday at Nagel Middle School, located at 1500 Nagel Road in Anderson Township.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: New superintendent announced for Forest Hills School District