On November 5, voters in the Dearborn and Dearborn Heights Crestwood Public Schools districts will head to the polls to fill several school board seats in both districts, which serve around 25,000 students, most of whom are of Arab descent.

The elections include two open seats on the Dearborn Public Schools Board for a full term of six years. Meanwhile, in the Crestwood School District, which serves neighborhoods in central and northern Dearborn Heights, five members will be elected for varying terms: Three seats for six-year terms, one seat for a four-year term and one seat for a two-year term. Additionally, voters will decide on an election proposal to issue $121 million in bonds to improve the educational system and renovate school facilities in the Crestwood Schools District.

Dearborn Board of Education:
Voters in the Dearborn Public School District will vote to elect two new trustees from 10 candidates to fill the seats of Trustees Roxanne McDonald and Jim Thorpe, who is seeking re-election.

The Dearborn Board of Education, which oversees all 36 public schools in the city and serves around 20,000 students, in addition to students at Henry Ford College, consists of seven members. In addition to Thorpe and McDonald, whose terms end this year, the Board consists of Hussein Berry, Adel Mozip, Patrick D’Ambrosio, Mary Petlichkoff and Irene Watts.

Four of the candidates running for the two full-term seats are Arab Americans: Jamal Aljahmi, Amer Zahr, Mohammad Mubarak and Nasri Sobh. They are joined by Silvio Davis, Steve Durant, Robbin Makled, Mark Trzeciak, Jackson Wagner and Thorpe, who has served as a trustee since 2017.

Aljahmi cited his desire to address ongoing challenges in Dearborn Public Schools, including “closing academic achievement gaps” and “supporting teachers” to create an educational environment that “encourages students to excel academically and socially,” according to what he told The Arab American News.

Amer Zahr

Aljahmi, of Yemeni descent, emphasized that he has a “deep passion for youth development”, which he has demonstrated over three decades by helping local basketball enthusiasts improve their skills. He said his commitment to empowering future generations “is not just a campaign promise, but a personal responsibility” to ensure Dearborn remains “a welcoming and inclusive community for all residents.”

Aljahmi explained to The Arab American News his vision for improving the board’s operations and enhancing the educational process, which is based on deepening cooperation between educational staff, parents and other community members and institutions to “create a collaborative and inclusive decision-making process.” He also emphasized his commitment to advocating for fair funding for all schools, enhancing student services and prioritizing teacher recruitment and retention.

Aljahmi pointed out that his campaign aims to ensure that all students receive the best possible education, with resources distributed fairly and policies that support long-term student success.

Jamal Aljahmi

Similarly, activist and University of Detroit Mercy law professor Amer Zahr said he is running for the Dearborn Board of Education to continue his efforts in “protecting civil rights and political freedoms”, as well as following in the footsteps of his father, who ran for a school board seat several decades ago.

The Palestinian American comedian explained that through his community and political activities, he aims to make Dearborn “a better place.” He told the newspaper that his campaign is primarily focused on “providing the best possible education for our students and fully supporting our teachers.”

Zahr stressed the importance of “representing diversity” on the Dearborn Board of Education.

“Diversity is our strength, and while Arab American students make up more than 75 percent of the total student body in Dearborn schools, the school board currently only has two Arab American members out of seven,” he said. “Government bodies should reflect the communities they serve.”

Crestwood Board of Education:
In the Crestwood School District in Dearborn Heights the elections will feature three races for five vacant seats on the seven-member board, along with a proposal to issue $121 million in bonds, repayable over 30 years, to improve the educational system and renovate school facilities. The district serves about 3,700 students, most of whom are of Arab descent.

Incumbent Board Members Daniel Al-Zayyat, Salwa Fawaz and David Williamson are running unopposed for three open seats for a full six-year term, while incumbent Najah Chami-Jannoun is competing against Hassan Ali Issa for a partial four-year term and incumbent Billy Amen is the only candidate for a two-year partial term.

Najah Chami-Jannoun

In addition to Al-Zayyat, Fawaz, Williamson, Amen and Chami-Jannoun, the Crestwood Board of Education includes members Mo Sabbagh and Hassan Beydoun.

Chami-Jannoun, who is endorsed by The Arab American News and AAPAC, told the newspaper that education is not limited to academic processes within classrooms, despite the importance of curricula, but also involves attention to students beyond school hours.

Chami-Jannoun, who has lived in Dearborn Heights for three and a half decades, emphasized the importance of technology, arts and sports activities, which, she said, “can, in conjunction with curricula, make a tangible difference in students’ lives and academic achievement.”

She expressed pride in working with the community to ensure that “people’s voices are heard”, stating that she has been “part of the change on the Crestwood School Board.”

“I hope to continue working toward a brighter future for our region, as education means engagement and participation above all else, and we desperately need to be as engaged and active as we can be in the educational process.”

Chami-Jannoun noted that her drive to succeed and make a difference stems from her desire to leave a legacy her four children — all of whom attended Crestwood Public Schools — can be proud of. She said her involvement in the Crestwood schools extends beyond her time on the board since 2020, as she has regularly attended board meetings for more than 20 years and has been an advocate for students, families and staff. At one point, this earned her the role of president of the Parent-Teacher Association in the district.

Crestwood Schools Bond:
Alongside the school board races, the Crestwood district has introduced a proposal to issue $121 million in bonds to improve and develop the district’s three elementary schools, one middle school, one high school and its preschool program. The district is one of four serving Dearborn Heights residents.

Dr. Youssef Mosallam, Dearborn Height’s Crestwood School District’s first Arab American superintendent

Crestwood Superintendent Dr. Youssef Mosallam explained that the bond proposal will be repaid over 30 years through a maximum annual property tax of 5.32 mills.

He stated that the funds will be used to make “much-needed” infrastructure upgrades across the district’s facilities and buildings to ensure “the safety and health of our students”, including repairing and updating aging heating and ventilation systems, upgrading water and electrical networks across all schools, constructing secure entryways and renovating parking lots.

In an interview with The Arab American News, Mosallam pointed out that part of the funds will be allocated to expanding classrooms, enhancing security systems and upgrading parking lots, as well as building new kitchens in all elementary schools to enable “each elementary school to prepare and serve fresh, hot breakfast and lunch meals.

“With the expansion of our elementary schools, all fifth-grade students will remain at their original elementary school and will not be bused to Riverside Middle School for classes, allowing these students more time in an elementary environment to grow and mature while maintaining a rigorous fifth-grade education,” he added.

Riverside Middle School will be designated for grades six to eight, with expanded vocational and technical education, according to Mosallam, who added that additional controls will be implemented in the school’s parking areas, along with enhanced security systems that will include the construction of a new lobby to improve the school’s security.

Mosallam also mentioned that 10 new classrooms will be added to Crestwood High School to reduce student overcrowding, as well as a new multi-purpose gymnasium, wrestling facilities, new locker rooms, a baseball field and upgraded security systems.

The bond proposal in the Crestwood district has importance in enhancing and developing the educational environment in the  Arab American communities that place significant value on academic achievement.

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Key deadlines for registration and voting in Michigan

Don’t miss the opportunity to vote!

Although last Monday was the last day in Michigan to register voters online or by mail for the November 5 election, there is still a chance for eligible citizens to register by visiting their local clerk’s office in the county or city where they reside, provided they can show proof of residence.

Thanks to changes made to Michigan’s election laws, in-person registration will remain available at clerk offices until the polls close at 8 p.m. on Election Day.

Registering at the Clerk’s Office
To have the opportunity to vote in the upcoming election, unregistered residents must visit their local clerk’s office in person, bringing one of the approved documents for proof of residence. If an individual is unsure of their local clerk’s office location, they can find it by visiting Michigan.gov/vote.

To prove residency, one must show a driver’s license or state-issued ID, a current utility bill, a bank statement, a paycheck, a government check or any other government document addressed to the person.

At the local clerk’s office, one can register to vote and request an absentee ballot up until the day before the election.

Eligibility to vote in Michigan
To register to vote in Michigan, a person must be a U.S. citizen, a resident of the state for at least 30 days by the time of voting, be at least 18-years-old by Election Day and not be incarcerated.

If someone is unsure whether they are already registered to vote, they can check at michigan.gov/vote.

Important dates

• Saturday, October 26: Early in-person voting begins across Michigan at designated locations in each city or town.
• Friday, November 1, 5 p.m.: Deadline to request an absentee ballot online or by mail.
• Sunday, November 3: Last day for early in-person voting across Michigan.
• Monday, November 4, 4 p.m.: Deadline to request an absentee ballot in person at a local clerk’s office.
• Tuesday, November 5: Polls will be open at all voting centers from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Voters can also request an absentee ballot from their local clerk’s office until the polls close, provided they are already registered to vote.

– This article was produced as part of the 2024 Elections Reporting Grant Program, organized by the Center for Community Media and funded by the Jonathan Logan Family Foundation, the MacArthur Foundation and the Tow Foundation. It has been edited for style.