Dr. Glenn Maleyko

Press Release #38 – Kindergarten Roundups let parents learn about schools, enroll students in the spring for next year

Dearborn Public Schools > Dr. Glenn Maleyko > Superintendent News > Press Release #38 – Kindergarten Roundups let parents learn about schools, enroll students in the spring for next year
A mother snaps a photo and a father watches as two young students pose in front of the Howard Elementary School sign on the first day of school in August 2022.

Press Release #38/Feb. 24, 2023

Parents living in the Dearborn School District with students planning to start kindergarten in the fall are invited to Kindergarten Roundups at their local elementary school.  Parents and guardians can also start enrollment now through the district website at www.dearbornschools.org/enroll.

Each of the district’s 22 schools with elementary students is planning to hold a roundup in March or April.  Kindergarten Roundups provide parents of our future kindergarteners with important information about starting school, the special kindergarten schedule, required student assessments, and how to help prepare your child for class. Enrolling students in the spring, if possible, allows the district to have accurate information to make staffing decisions for the fall.

There are many reasons for parents to choose Dearborn Public Schools.  Dearborn Schools 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, and the district maintains a 94 percent high school graduation rate and has been recognized for the high number of students who enroll in college.  Dearborn Public Schools also has had five schools recognized at National Blue Ribbon Schools in the last six years.

To enroll in kindergarten, students must be five years old by September 1 and live within the Dearborn Public School District. Waivers are available for students who will turn five after September 1 but by 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.

Parents who live in Wayne County and want an online elementary school for their child can enroll in Dearborn Public Schools Virtual K-12.  That is the only Dearborn Public School that takes elementary students who live outside of the district.  Learn more on the Virtual K-12 website.

Dearborn Public Schools also offers a free Young 5s 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. 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. 

Space is limited for Young 5s, so interested parents should check for availability at the school they are interested in attending. For 2023-24, Young 5s  is planned at Geer Park, Henry Ford, Lindbergh, Maples, Oakman, Salina and Whitmore Bolles elementary schools. See the Young 5s brochure.

  For more information, contact Student Services at (313) 827-3005.  Busing is available only if the student will attend their home elementary and lives in an area where busing is provided.  In most cases, parents will need to provide transportation for their child.

For students still a year away from kindergarten, the district also offers the Great Start Readiness Program.  This state-sponsored preschool is free to families who qualify and is available at 13 locations around the district.  Enrollment for GSRP will begin in April. 

Learn more about the district’s programs for our youngest students at www.dearbornschools.org/ welcome. 

Kindergarten parents should also be aware that Dearborn Schools this year will again use a special schedule for those students.  Kindergarteners will have a soft start, meaning half days of school for the first two weeks of class. This allows students a more successful and gradual transition to school.  Those dates have not been set yet because the district has not yet finalized its calendar for the 2023-24 school year.  For the last five years, school has started on the Monday before Labor Day, which would be Aug. 28, 2023.

Parents now have the option of completing student enrollment entirely online. Enrollment can be started at https://dearbornschools.org/enroll, but will not be complete until required paperwork is submitted. To see which school your child would attend, visit our elementary school enrollment map or call Student Services at (313) 827-3005. Kindergarten students are expected to attend the school for their neighborhood, unless they opt into Howe School’s Montessori-style program or the Dearborn Public Schools Virtual K-12 online school.

The Kindergarten Roundup schedule is below. Events are in-person at the school except for Virtual K-12. Check school websites closer to that building’s event for more information.  Parents also may contact the elementary school to request more information.  

2023 kindergarten roundup schedule

Related information

Dearborn Public Schools Welcome page

Dearborn Public Schools enrollment page

Elementary school enrollment area maps

Young 5s brochure in English

2023 Kindergarten Roundups flyer