DEARBORN — Dearborn Public Schools will be having all students learning virtually on Tuesday, March 1 due to the special election being held that day.

On that day, students will log into their classes from home via Schoology and Zoom and have a full day of live learning with their teachers and attendance will be taken. Buildings will still be open and sports, clubs and other activities will still continue.

Earlier this year, state officials called for a special election in Dearborn to fill the State House seat vacated by Abdullah Hammoud when he was elected mayor of Dearborn. 

The primary for that special election will take place on March 1 and the general election will occur on May 3. Most of the district’s schools act as polling places, but the schools are already scheduled off for May 3 for Eid, so virtual learning will take place on March 1.

Dearborn Public Schools paid for all students to have a Schoology account in case COVID-19 conditions forced students to return to remote learning; and while several individual classrooms have temporarily switched to remote learning due to COVID-19 concerns, the district as a whole has remained open.

The district is traditionally closed on the November Election Day every election year because of concerns raised when students were in classrooms during elections.

“While online learning is not ideal for most students and families long-term, we are glad we have the infrastructure in place to move to remote learning on Election Day,” Superintendent Dr. Glenn Maleyko said. “This will reassure families concerned about having buildings open to the public and allow students to focus on learning.”