Meals Starting on Tuesday March 17 provided by Dearborn Public Schools. #Students1stDbnSchs


Greetings Dearborn Public Schools Community,

We have been working on a plan to serve meals to students now that schools are closed for several weeks in response to the International COVID 19 Crisis. We plan to have a modified grab and go breakfast and then lunch available at limited locations. The details of this plan will be posted Monday March 16 in the afternoon/evening. We appreciate the support of our school community as we come together to support each other while we deal with this unprecedented International Crisis. Wishing everyone all the best for healthy days and weeks ahead.

ALL DPS CLOSED March 13-April 12.

Greetings, 

All Dearborn Public Schools will be closed for students effective immediately, March 13, 2020. This is a result of Governor Whitmer’s order to close all K-12 school buildings, public, private, and boarding, starting Monday, March 16 until Sunday, April 5. 

Dearborn Public Schools spring break will take place from Monday, April 6 through Friday, April 10. Students will return to school on Monday, April 13, 2020.

Students may report on Friday, March 13, 2020 at the normal start time to pick up their belongings and school supplies.  

All staff should report on Friday, March 13, 2020 to assist students. Staff will only attend for the morning half of the day followed by a half day release time.  All staff should continue to check their email daily for updates and information.

As of Thursday, 3-12-2020 there are no reported or confirmed cases of COVID 19 in the Dearborn Public Schools. 

This closure of schools is part of a nationwide effort to slow the spread of the COVID 19 virus. These actions will not eliminate the COVID 19 virus, cure COVID 19,  and this will not guarantee that a person will not contract the COVID virus at a later time. Again, these actions are part of a nationwide effort to slow the spread and limit the number of people who will become infected. 

Thank you

#Students1stDbnSchs. Whitmore-Bolles Elementary closed as a precaution

Whitmore-Bolles Elementary closed as a precaution

       Dearborn Public Schools announced Wednesday evening that Whitmore Bolles Elementary School would be closed, at least temporarily, after a staff member came in contact with someone with a confirmed case of COVID-19.

Superintendent Dr. Glenn Maleyko said the move was “out of an overabundance of caution,” as the District and the staff member await the results of tests to see if the person had contracted COVID-19.

No other Dearborn Public School closings are planned at this time. 

As of the Wednesday evening, Whitmore Bolles was closed only for Thursday.  Officials hope to have the results of the person’s COVID-19 test by Thursday afternoon.  Then a decision will be made about reopening. The staff person only worked at Whitmore Bolles.  No other information was released because of privacy concerns for the employee.

“The impact of the COVID-19 virus is a very dynamic and fluid situation.  How we address this today may not be the same practice or protocol for future cases,” Dr. Maleyko said during a press conference at the District’s Administrative Services Center on Wednesday evening. “We are in constant contact with public health officials at Wayne County, the State of Michigan, and the Center for Disease Control.  We will continue to work directly with them and follow their recommendations on containing the spread of the COVID-19 virus.”

Dr. Maleyko said it was his decision to close the school, although the health department felt the risk to the students and staff was very low.  If the staff person is shown to have the virus, the District would likely be directed by the Wayne County Health Department on how to proceed.

Speakers at the press conference included Maleyko, Communications Director David Mustonen, and Board President Hussein Berry.

“I can speak from the heart as a father and grandfather in this district.  I am extremely confident that the decision made today was the right decision,” Mr. Berry said.  He encouraged people to get current information from the District website, and not to rely on reports on social media.

The district will use Thursday to ensure the school has a deep cleaning, using both District staff and an outside company familiar with dealing with germs.

Meanwhile, Dr. Maleyko reiterated common sense advice on slowing the spread of all viruses, including washing hands thoroughly or using hand sanitizer, coughing and sneezing into a tissue or an arm, and staying home if you are sick.

The District has fielded questions about converting to online learning.  While Dearborn Schools has long supported online learning, it cannot quickly convert to entirely virtual schools.  Any such change could also hurt students, especially low-income children who may not have ready access to suitable technology or internet to complete lessons from home.

Maleyko also was asked about parents who opt to keep their children at home.

“I always say that parents always have the right to make a decision in the best interest of their family and their child,” Maleyko said.  “We have no other information that leads us to believe we have any other risks any other Dearborn Public Schools at this time.”

Obviously the situation with the virus is evolving, and any decisions on further school closings will be made on a case-by-case basis, the Superintendent said.

Maleyko said, “We come here today not to alarm, panic or create stress, but to demonstrate our team’s readiness to address this concern and be prepared.  We come here today as a team because the task of planning and preparing is not the decision of one person, but requires the expertise and skills of all of us,” Maleyko said.

Dearborn Public Schools will continue to post information about any response to COVID-19 on our website at www.dearbornschools.org.