Dearborn Public Schools Delaying Early Release Tuesdays Until October

DEARBORN, MI — Dearborn Public Schools is delaying the start of early releases until Oct. 10 to allow families and schools more time to adjust to the new calendar, district officials said.

While the district calendar is still pending approval from the Board of Education, the plan calls for students to be released 90 minutes early on Tuesdays beginning in October through May. The early dismissals will replace the seven monthly late-starts and most half days throughout the school year.

The district is also working to develop plans to provide a supervised activity for K-8 students who need a place to be during the remaining 90 minutes on Tuesday afternoons. School lunches will also still be served on early dismissal days.

The new calendar has only five half-days including the first and last days of school, Jan. 8 for all students, Oct. 27 only for elementary and Jan. 9 only for middle and high schools. The district hopes the new schedule will be easier for parents to schedule around.

The early dismissals will also benefit staff, especially teachers who asked the district to provide more time for these responsibilities during their regular work day, officials said.

Officials said the district chose Tuesday for early dismissal to simplify planning for staff and families by keeping schedule variations as much as possible to one day of the week.

"Three Tuesdays were already going to be days off school - one for Eid and two due to elections, which the district uses for professional development," officials said. "By adding the other professional development day and early release on Tuesdays, it simplifies the calendar for families"

The Board of Education is expected to vote on the new contract on Monday, Aug. 21.

School start times and end times this year will remain the same except for early release Tuesdays. Those times include:

• High school - 7:50 a.m. to 2:45 p.m., half day ending at 10:55 a.m., early release Tuesdays ending at 1:15 p.m.
• Middle school and K-8 campuses - 8:25 a.m. to 3:20 p.m., half day ending at 11:30 a.m., early release Tuesdays ending at 1:50 p.m. This includes all of McCollough Elementary and Salina Elementary and Intermediate.
• Elementary School - 9:00 a.m. to 3:55 p.m., half day ending at 12:05 p.m., early release at 2:25 p.m.
• Lowrey School - Elementary 8:15 a.m. to 3:10 p.m., half day ending at 11:20 a.m. and early release ending at 1:40 p.m.. Middle school 8:10 a.m. to 3:05 p.m., half days ending at 11:15 a.m., early release at 1:35 p.m.
• Early College at HFC 8:00 a.m. to 2:25 p.m., half day ending at 10:45 a.m. and early release at 12:55.
• The Heights Campus: DCMST, MBCC and Magnet High - 8:05 a.m. to 2:25 p.m., half day ending at 10:45 a.m., early release at 12:55 p.m. STEM Middle School 7:50 a.m. to 2:45 p.m., half day ending at 10:55 a.m. and early release at 1:15 p.m.