DEARBORN — The Dearborn Public Schools Board of Education unanimously approved a three-year contract for Mike Esseily to become the district’s next superintendent during its June 22 meeting, officially appointing him to lead Michigan’s third-largest school district.

Trustees voted 7-0 to approve the contract, with Esseily scheduled to officially assume the position on July 1.

“I am incredibly honored and humbled by the board’s decision to offer me the position of superintendent,” Esseily said following the vote. “This district — its teachers and its staff — has shaped my life in profound ways. As a proud graduate of Fordson High School and a lifelong student of Dearborn Public Schools, I have dedicated my professional career to serving this community. The opportunity to lead the very district that raised me is not just a career milestone; it is deeply personal.”

Esseily becomes the first Arab American and the first Muslim to serve as superintendent of Dearborn Public Schools, a district that educates approximately 20,000 students from preschool through high school.

He succeeds Dr. Glenn Maleyko, who left the district in the fall of 2025 after being appointed Michigan’s state superintendent of public instruction. Since November, Lamis Srour has served as interim superintendent while the district conducted a nationwide search for a permanent replacement.

A career built in Dearborn

Esseily has spent nearly two decades with Dearborn Public Schools, steadily advancing through the district’s leadership ranks.

He currently serves as executive director of special populations, a position he has held since 2020, overseeing special education, English language learner programs and mental health initiatives. Previously, he served three years as the district’s director of special education and one year as special education coordinator.

He began his career with Dearborn Public Schools in 2007 as a special education teacher at Stout Middle School and Edsel Ford High School before becoming assistant principal at Lowrey Middle School.

A lifelong Dearborn resident, Esseily attended Dearborn Public Schools and graduated from Fordson High School before earning degrees from Henry Ford College, Wayne State University, Madonna University and Grand Valley State University.

Reflecting on his journey, Esseily credited his father, Suleiman Esseily, an immigrant who instilled in him the importance of education and opportunity.

“My father believed in the power of education and opportunity,” Esseily said.

Nationwide search

Following Maleyko’s departure, the Board of Education retained the Michigan Leadership Institute to conduct a nationwide search for the district’s next superintendent.

Twenty-three candidates applied for the position. On May 4, the board selected Esseily as its preferred candidate and entered contract negotiations before unanimously approving his appointment on June 22.

The district expects to host a community reception later this summer, giving residents an opportunity to meet the new superintendent.

Looking ahead, Esseily said collaboration will be central to his leadership.

“I understand that leadership is about bringing people together, building trust and finding common ground around what matters most: our students and their future,” he said. “Dearborn Public Schools has always been a source of pride, and I look forward to continuing that tradition alongside our students, staff, families and community members.”