Bienvenidos! Welcome to Forest Home Avenue School! As principal of FHA, I am incredibly proud of our bilingual learning environment, where we value academic excellence, culturally responsive best practices, finding joy and belonging each day, preparing students to become community leaders, and equipping students for life beyond FHA. Located on the near Southside of the city, with city-wide transportation and a before- and after-school camp program, we are a wonderful place for students to grow, learn, and thrive in a safe and welcoming school community.
At FHA, Spanish and English are the languages of instruction. Within our school, this means that our students learn the content area at the same time as they learn and strengthen language skills in both Spanish and English in our bilingual classrooms. We also offer English only or monolingual classrooms from K3 to 5th grade. Students in K3 through fifth grade receive high quality instruction in the target language(s) of the classroom to master skills across all subjects.
Beyond the classroom, we have been increasing our extracurricular opportunities so that students are challenged to learn other new skills. We provide a variety of athletics and after school clubs such as: Volleyball, Soccer, Basketball, Flag Football, Music, Cheer, Dance, Gardening, and Girl Scouts. Each year, our coaches and club leaders help our students to explore new things while building confidence.
Community Partnerships and Programs are a key part of our success at FHA. We are proud to maintain strong relationships with outside organizations that enhance the overall quality of the FHA student experience. Northwestern Mutual Foundation and SHARP Literacy – STEaM-based curriculum, Reflo – Green and Healthy Schoolyards, Sixteenth Street Community Health Centers – intensive, on-site mental wellness programs and mental health services, Feeding America – monthly food pantry, Fork Farms – urban gardening, WI Reading Corps and Forward Scholars – tutoring.
Our parent volunteers and PBIS Team are incredibly active and they sponsor many engagement activities throughout the year, including our Field Days, School Carnival celebration, and other fun events! The SEC works with me to help determine next steps around school improvement plans throughout the school year as well. At FHA, families are provided many opportunities to participate in their child’s education. There are always other volunteering opportunities.
Please reach out to me with any questions, or if you’d like to take a tour for your incoming K3, K4, or K5 student, you can set that up by calling the office at (414) 902-6200. I look forward to hearing from you and sharing all of the amazing opportunities that FHA has to offer.
Mr. Brad Christensen, Principal
Ms. Hortencia Morales, Assistant Principal
Mr. Oscar Silva, Assistant Principal