August 25th, 20230DEARBORN HEIGHTS — A little over three months after 14-year-old Annapolis High School student Selena Perez died by suicide, her family has filed a formal lawsuit against the D7 School District, Principal Aaron Mollett and Superintendent Dr. Tyrone Weeks.
The lawsuit says that Perez had physical signs of self-induced harm...
April 22nd, 20230DEARBORN HEIGHTS — Just one year after its formation, the Annapolis High School Arab Student Union (ASU) hosted its first Iftar dinner.
The dinner brought community members and students from the Dearborn Heights D7 School District together on April 18 and included dates, chicken, rice pilaf, salad, fruit and more.
Annapolis...
October 15th, 20220DEARBORN HEIGHTS — A seventh grade student in the Dearborn Heights' District 7 School District has succumbed to his injuries after being struck by a car Friday night.
The student, 12-year-old Joey Smith, was fatally struck by a vehicle as he rode his bike home from a high school football game at Annapolis High School on Oct....
August 19th, 20220DEARBORN HEIGHTS — D7 School Board Trustee Nadia Nasir, who was appointed to the board in January, is hoping to retain her seat.
Nasir is one of two candidates running for three open full term seats on the board.
A lifelong resident of Dearborn Heights, she attended D7 schools her entire life before graduating from Annapolis...
January 28th, 20220DEARBORN HEIGHTS — After Dearborn Heights' District 7 School Board Trustee Mandy Diroff resigned suddenly earlier this month, the school board worked quickly to fill her seat.
Four people interviewed for the position: Rachel LaPointe, a parent and former City Council candidate; Leslie Windless, a community activist and member of...
January 17th, 20220DEARBORN HEIGHTS — Dearborn Heights D7 School Board Trustee Mandy Diroff resigned suddenly during the Jan. 5 school board meeting.
In a recording played by a parent, Diroff read her resignation letter, saying she has been feeling irrelevant by the board president, Carrie Harleton, whom she identified only by title.
“It is with...
January 9th, 20220DEARBORN/HEIGHTS — With COVID cases on the rise, local school districts have had to face whether or not to return to virtual learning again.
Dearborn Heights’ District 7 (D7) school district has decided to return to virtual learning beginning Monday, Jan. 10 until Friday, Jan. 21 due to the “increase and significant uptick in...
November 18th, 20210DEARBORN HEIGHTS — An announcement was made at the Nov. 17 school board meeting that the D7 School District will return to virtual learning temporarily.
A letter posted on the district’s Facebook page from Interim Superintendent Dr. Mary Ann Cyr cited recent upticks in COVID-19 cases as the reason.
“Due to the increase and...
August 13th, 20210DEARBORN HEIGHTS — With the CDC changing its recommendations on mask mandates due to the rise of COVID-19 cases, local school districts discussed back-to-school options.
Dearborn Heights’ D7 School District has been one of the few districts in the area to have allowed parents to decide whether their children would learn virtually...
June 16th, 20210DEARBORN HEIGHTS — Jennifer Mast, who has served as superintendent since 2017, announced that she is stepping down and returning to a classroom at the start of the new school year.
In a letter to the Board of Education, Mast said that it is “with mixed emotions” that she makes this decision.
“It has always been my goal...
May 7th, 20210DEARBORN HEIGHTS — On May 4, voters passed the $6.4 million bond proposal in the city’s D7 School District to help school enhancements.
The bond is a net zero tax increase to the community members, so the district says that residents will not see an increase in their taxes.
The bond will be split up between three large...
April 23rd, 20212DEARBORN HEIGHTS — With students spending more and more time online, D7’s superintendent is addressing social media concerns and comments with students.
Layla Cruz, a ninth grader at Annapolis High School, said that she was recently called out of class to discuss her own social media comments.
“I had gotten called down to...
April 22nd, 20210DEARBORN HEIGHTS — The D7 School Board hosted a town hall event to notify residents about the purpose of the special election on May 4 for a bond approval.
The bond would be for $6.4 million and go directly to school enhancements.
“On May 4th there is a special election that is only for this bond proposal,” Superintendent...
December 19th, 20200DEARBORN/DEARBORN HEIGHTS — With one school district already returning to in-person learning, all districts have the same goal of returning for the second half of the year.
Dearborn Heights’ D7 School District returned to in-person learning again last week after having to pause with the rest of the state.
“We haven’t had...
December 9th, 20200DEARBORN HEIGHTS — After Monday’s press conference by Governor Whitmer extending the state’s restrictions, D7’s Board of Education voted to return some students to the classrooms.
Effective Thursday Dec. 10, students in Pre K-grade eight will return to their previous learning plan of either in-person instruction or virtual...
October 17th, 20200DEARBORN HEIGHTS — With elections right around the corner, candidates for Dearborn Heights’ District 7 Board of Education discussed their goals if they were to be elected.
Incumbent Board Member Mandy Diroff, who could not be reached for comment, is seeking another four-year term and is competing against newcomers Latanya Gater,...
September 19th, 20200DEARBORN HEIGHTS — After a tense school board meeting on Wednesday was followed by a protest outside of the Board of Education building on Thursday morning, D7’s superintendent responded.
A parent addressed racism in the schools during an Aug. 25 Dearborn Heights City Council meeting and ever since, the district has been under...
September 19th, 20200DEARBORN HEIGHTS — After being silenced at Wednesday’s School Board meeting, some district parents held a protest outside of the District 7 Board of Education building Thursday morning.
Leslie Windless, who organized the protest, said that Black students and parents need to have their voices heard.
“You can’t say there’s...
September 4th, 20200DEARBORN HEIGHTS — With the school year starting off under a new normal, Dearborn Heights school boards are experiencing some hiccups along the way.
While the COVID-19 pandemic is still very much present in the community, a lot of discussions occurred over the summer on the status of children returning to school this fall. Governor...
September 1st, 20201DEARBORN HEIGHTS — During a recent Dearborn Heights City Council meeting, a parent came forward stating that her children were insulted with racial slurs while at school.
Barbara Young, mother of high school student Demarri Young and middle school student Laniya Young, came forward with both children to address these...
