DEARBORN — Schools throughout Dearborn are planning their orientations this spring to meet the new students and parents.

Most district middle and high schools have planned their orientation events to welcome next year’s incoming students and their parents. These orientations allow students and parents to become familiar with and better understand their new schools, 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 are encouraged to 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 for those will be given later this month.

Generally, students need to live in the Dearborn Public Schools district to attend a district school. Learn more about enrolling in the district on the 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 School, 19501 Outer Drive, Feb. 22 from 6 to 8 p.m.
Edsel Ford High School, 20601 Rotunda, March 9 from 6 to 7:30 p.m.
Fordson High School, 13800 Ford Road, May 18 from 4 to 5:30 p.m.
Dearborn Virtual K-12, online only school, May 17 at 6 p.m. Use this Zoom link.
Orientations at the three traditional high schools will also give students the opportunity to talk to coaches for fall sports and learn about the various clubs and activities available for students.

Current eighth graders can apply to become part of one of three Henry Ford Early Colleges.  Those five-year high school/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 include:

Bryant Middle School, 460 N. Vernon, April 27 at 6 p.m.
Dearborn Virtual K-12, May 2 at 6 p.m. on Zoom.
Lowrey School, 6601 Jonathon, May 10 at 10 a.m.
O.L. Smith Middle School, 23851 Yale, May 11 at 6 p.m.
STEM Middle School (invited students and parents only), Dearborn Heights Campus, 22586 Ann Arbor Trail, May 16 at 6 p.m.
Unis Middle School, 7801 Maple, May 31 at 5 p.m.
Woodworth Middle School, 4951 Ternes, May 16 at 5 p.m.
Stout Middle School holds daytime visits for students in May. A parent-child orientation before school starts in August, but the August 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,” said Superintendent Glenn Maleyko. “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.”