May
05
2020

Dearborn Schools Moves to Digital Enrollments for Next School Year

Although Dearborn Public School buildings are currently closed, the District is enrolling for next school year.  Parents and guardians who have a child who will start Dearborn Public Schools in the fall are encouraged to start enrollment now at http://www.dearbornschools.org/enroll. Enrolling in the spring, when possible, helps the District ensure we have proper staffing and supplies when the new school year starts Aug. 31.

During the building closure, the District has modified its process to allow families to complete enrollment electronically. Before the closure, parents or guardians needed to visit the District offices or their child’s future school to submit certain paperwork and complete enrollment.

Dearborn Public Schools only accepts enrollment from students living in the District, which includes almost all of Dearborn and a small section of Dearborn Heights.

For those who prefer not to enroll online, District staff can also mail paperwork for families to complete and return to enroll a new student.  Anyone with questions about enrollment can call 313-495-4004 during the closure. Please be aware most employees are working from home.  Callers may need to leave a message, but someone will return the call.

The District was forced to modify its enrollment process after schools were abruptly closed in March to slow the spread of COVID-19. Traditional Kindergarten Roundups at our elementary schools had to be canceled as a result of the school closure.

To enroll in kindergarten, students must be five years old by September 1. Waivers are available for students who will turn five after September 1 but before December 1.  For parents already living in the district, the waivers need to be submitted by June 1. See the District website at https://dearbornschools.org/enroll for the waiver and more information.

Dearborn Public Schools also offers a free Young Fives program for students who will turn five between June 15 and December 1 this year. That all-day program is offered at select schools and follows the kindergarten curriculum. Young Fives is held at DuVall, Geer Park, Haigh, Henry Ford, Lindbergh, Maples, McCollough, Oakman, River Oaks, Salina, Snow, Whitmore-Bolles and William Ford elementary schools. The extra year allows those children to better develop the academic and emotional skills they need to succeed in school. The following year they would enroll in kindergarten at their neighborhood school. Parents interested in the program will need to enroll their child in the District and can contact Student Services to learn more.

The District is also accepting registration for paid programs for the fall, including preschool programs and before and afterschool childcare. Parents interested in those programs can learn more by visiting https://iblog.dearbornschools.org/earlychildhood/. Scroll down on the home page to find a list of programs and prices for next school year.  Registration forms are available under a separate tab and can be printed and mailed in to reserve your spot. Children in paid programs do not need to reside in Dearborn Public Schools. 

Parents interested in the state-sponsored GSRP preschool can sign up to receive more information about registration when it becomes available at https://cotter.dearbornschools.org/. The Great Start Readiness Program is not accepting official applications yet while awaiting more direction from the state.  GSRP is open to low-income and working-class families at no cost to the family.

There are many reasons for parents to choose Dearborn Public Schools.  The District is proud to offer one of the lowest teacher-to-student ratios of any district in Wayne County, with an average classroom size of 22 students in kindergarten through second grade and 23 for third through fifth.  Dearborn students show above average academic growth each year as measured on national tests.  Dearborn Schools also maintains a 95 percent high school graduation rate and has been recognized for the high number of students who enroll in college.

Situations are constantly changing during this COVID-19 pandemic.  For the latest information about Dearborn Public Schools, please visit the website at http://www.dearbornschools.org.