A sign welcomes students back to Edsel Ford High School in 2022. Many Dearborn Public Schools high schools and middle schools will hold orientations this spring for students who will be starting classes at that building in the fall. Parents and students planning to attend that school are invited to those orientations, even if their child is not currently enrolled in the district. Generally, students must live in the district to attend one of the district’s schools.
DEARBORN — Looking ahead already to next school year, schools across Dearborn Public Schools are planning orientation events this spring to meet next year’s incoming students and parents.
These orientations help students and parents better understand their new school, including topics like scheduling, class expectations and extracurricular activities.
Eighth-graders and many fifth-graders from across the district, along with their parents, are invited to these orientations, even if those students are not currently enrolled in a Dearborn public school. Parents who plan to transfer their child into the district may register them in the spring to allow time to schedule classes and to help the district ensure it has staffing and materials to welcome the students in the fall.
Kindergarten roundups for incoming elementary students will also be held in March and April. More information on those will be provided later in February.
Generally, students need to live in the school district to attend a district school. Learn more about enrolling in the district on the DPS Enrollment page. Families can see which school their child will attend by visiting the district’s Attendance Boundaries page.
High school orientations are set for:
• Dearborn High, 19501 W. Outer Drive, from 6 to 8 p.m. Feb. 22.
• Edsel Ford High, 20601 Rotunda, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. March 9.
• Fordson High School, 13800 Ford Road, from 4 to 5:30 p.m. May 18.
• Dearborn Virtual K-12, online only school, at 6 p.m. May 17. Use this Zoom link.
Orientations at the three traditional high schools will also include the opportunity for students to talk to coaches for fall sports and learn about other clubs and activities available for students.
Current eighth-graders also can apply to become part of one of three Henry Ford Early Colleges. Those five-year high school and early college programs are open to any student in Wayne County. See the Early College website to learn more. The application deadline is March 1. The HFECs will hold orientation for admitted students and their parents in May.
Seven of the district’s nine middle schools also hold spring orientations for incoming sixth-graders and their parents.
Those dates and times are:
• Bryant Middle, 460 N. Vernon, at 6 p.m. April 27.
• Dearborn Virtual K-12, at 6 p.m. May 2 on Zoom.
• Lowrey School, 6601 Jonathon, at 10 a.m. May 10.
• O.L. Smith Middle, 23851 Yale, at 6 p.m. May 11.
• STEM Middle (invited students and parents only), Dearborn Heights Campus, 22586 Ann Arbor Trail, at 6 p.m. May 16.
• Unis Middle, 7801 Maple, at 5 p.m. May 31.
• Woodworth Middle, 4951 Ternes, at 5 p.m. May 16.
Stout Middle holds daytime visits for students in May, and a parent-child orientation before school starts in August. The August orientation date has not been scheduled yet. Salina Intermediate houses students in grades four to eight.
“We realize that changing schools is a big transition for many students,” Supt. Glenn Maleyko said. “I encourage parents and students to attend the orientation for their child’s school to help ensure a positive start for a new school and new school year in August.”