The first lesson Dearborn High students and parents will get to learn this year could start before class does — a new dropoff and pickup pattern outside the school.
The circle drive in front of the school is now strictly buses only during school dropoff in the morning and pickup at the end of the day.
Parents and other drivers chauffeuring students to school will need to use a new route through the staff parking lot south of the building. Drivers are to enter from Outer Drive through the lot’s south entrance, near the football field. They will circle through to the back of the lot. Drivers should pull to the side to let students out or wait to pick them up. Drivers should not block the driving lane.
Students will be able to enter the building through the cafeteria and gym doors on the south side of the school.
As drivers leave the lot, they will turn right — north — onto Outer Drive. Left turns are not allowed for safety reasons, including the amount of traffic and pedestrians in the area.
Dearborn High upgraded the parking and dropoff areas this summer to accommodate the change. The hope is the new longer drop off area will make it easier for drivers to pick up and drop off students without traffic backing up onto Outer Drive.
“We felt these changes were important to improve safety for our students and their families,” DHS Principal Adam Martin said. “We ask for everyone’s patience and compliance as we adjust to this new routine.”
Built in 1957, Dearborn High was designed at a time when more students walked or biked to school. The student parking lot also was resurfaced this summer.
School resumes on Aug. 26. Classes run from 7:20 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. on regular school days. The first day is a half day ending at 10:25 a.m.
DHS had more than 2,100 students last school year.