Office of the Superintendent
August 25, 2021
Greetings Students, Parents, and Families,
On behalf of the Board of Education, our entire administrative team, and myself, I extend our most sincere welcome back as we are excited for the return of in-person instruction beginning on August 30, 2021.
As our new school year begins, our number one priority will be to implement a high quality in-person instructional model while ensuring that we maintain a high level of COVID 19 safety protocols. Our current mitigation practices have worked as we have had very little spread in schools while students returned to our hybrid model back in March and during the highly successful summer school program attended by more than 8,400 students. We will use a layered approach to slow the spread of COVID-19 by continuing with many of the mitigation measures already in place and modifying others. These measures include the continuation of our requirement that students and staff must wear a mask while inside a school. Please click here to view the mitigation protocols that we are using for the 2021-22 school year.
One of the most highly effective and safe methods of slowing the spread of COVID 19 and keeping people from becoming seriously ill is to get vaccinated. Vaccinations are extremely important! The District has partnered with local health providers to provide vaccines for our staff, and we implemented several vaccine clinics in our buildings for students twelve and over. We are confident in our estimates that more than 75% of our staff have been vaccinated. I strongly encourage all members of our community who are eligible to get vaccinated today!
Although we strongly encourage students to attend school in-person, as I believe that is best, I also respect the decision of parents and students to attend school in a virtual environment. That is why we created a brand new school in Dearborn called the Dearborn Public Schools Virtual K-12 School. More than five hundred parents have chosen to enroll their children in the Dearborn Virtual School.
I’m excited about the year ahead, building upon our success, continuing to improve, and of course always working to put “Students First.” Listed below are a few important dates to mark in your calendar.
- August 30- Students first day (half-day)/ Duty day for teachers in the afternoon
- September 3 to September 6 – No school for students Labor Day weekend
- September 7- Staff and students return for in-person instruction
The success of any school district is really about the success that happens at each school, in each classroom, and with each student. We have an outstanding staff in the Dearborn Public Schools that will continue to work hard to meet the needs of the students we serve. There are many community organizations that support the work that goes on in our schools and the students in the classrooms. Most importantly, we know that successful students have caring and loving families. I want to thank the parents, guardians, and community members for their continued support of all of our students, staff, and schools. It is this unwavering commitment to our children that will allow us to navigate through, this most untypical time, and all the years ahead.
Regards,
Glenn Maleyko, Ph.D.
Superintendent of Schools
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