DEARBORN – The Dearborn Board of Education will hold a special meeting on Monday, May 4, to vote on selecting a new superintendent for the Dearborn Public Schools from among two finalists: Mike Esseily, executive director of special populations in the district, and Moussa Hamka, assistant superintendent of human resources for Grosse Pointe Public Schools.

The seven-member board had previously selected three finalists during a special meeting on April 18, including Thomas Ahart, former superintendent of Des Moines Public Schools, who later withdrew from consideration.

The two remaining finalists, both of Lebanese descent, toured several schools on April 22, where they met with educators and administrators to observe operations firsthand in a district that includes 37 schools and serves nearly 20,000 students, most of them Arab American.

Later that same day, the candidates participated in community meetings with parents and education stakeholders at the district’s Administrative Service Center, located at 18700 Audette Street, in an interactive setting that allowed attendees to hear directly from the candidates about their visions and plans for improving education.

Participants were also able to ask questions and submit feedback through specially designed forms, as part of an effort to involve the community in the decision-making process and ensure the selection of a superintendent who reflects the aspirations of Dearborn families and students.

On the following day, the board conducted final interviews with Esseily and Hamka, which were broadcast on the Dearborn Public Schools YouTube channel to allow residents to share their opinions and impressions of the candidates’ performances through electronic evaluation forms created specifically for this purpose.

The public feedback period will remain open until 6 p.m. on Sunday, May 3, and residents can view the final interviews at the following link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xbSDNcYRXMs

The superintendent selected on Monday will succeed former superintendent Glenn Maleyko, who left the district after being appointed Michigan’s state superintendent last fall. He was succeeded on an interim basis by Arab American educator Lamis Srour until a permanent replacement is appointed.

Dearborn Public Schools is the third-largest school district in Michigan.