The Dearborn Board of Education opened its meeting on Monday, January 12, by holding its annual elections, which resulted in the election of Jamal Aljahmi as board president, Nasri Sobh as vice president, Amer Zahr as secretary and Ali K. Bazzi as treasurer.

The election and reorganization session took place before the board’s regular meeting, part of which was dedicated to honoring board members as part of “School Board Appreciation Month”, in recognition of their service to the educational process and their oversight of students and employees across the district.

During the meeting, Dearborn Public Schools Interim Superintendent Lamis Srour expressed her gratitude to board members, describing them as a “true model of public service.” She noted that members do not work full time and receive only modest stipends compared to the responsibilities they carry, emphasizing that their primary motivation is commitment to the community and a genuine desire to serve it.

As part of the appreciation month observance, members received certificates of recognition and symbolic gifts bearing the Dearborn Public Schools logo.

With the new leadership team elected, the board is preparing for what is expected to be a busy year. Alongside its usual oversight responsibilities, the board will continue leading the search for a new district superintendent, while also considering whether to place a bond proposal on the ballot to finance projects related to infrastructure improvements.

The Dearborn Board of Education also continues to serve a dual role as the governing body of Henry Ford College, making it the only elected board in the state responsible for oversight of both K–12 public education — from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade — and higher education. Board members are overseeing the selection process for a new college president, while also setting policies and approving budgets for both institutions, without involvement in daily operations.

Dearborn Public Schools is the third-largest school district in Michigan, serving approximately 20,000 students and employing more than 2,700 staff members across 37 buildings, with an annual operating budget of $452 million.

The terms of four board members are scheduled to expire the end of the year, including Adel Mozip and Mary Petlichkof, who were elected in 2020 to full six-year terms. Petlichkof is serving her third term after 15 years on the board, while Mozip is completing his first full term after previously being appointed to fill a vacancy.

Meanwhile, Ali Bazzi and Nasri Sobh, who were appointed to the board in September, will continue serving until the results of the November election are certified. Pat D’Ambrosio’s term runs through December 2028, while the terms of Jamal Aljahmi and Amer Zahr, elected in 2024, extend through December 2030.

The Dearborn Board of Education, and the hundreds like it across the state, preserve public education, a core of the United States’ democracy. They ensure that decisions on school programming are made by people elected to represent the community’s values, culture and circumstances.  They are citizens whose decisions affect students and build the local community.