A young student works on a worksheet at Becker Elementary last fall. Dearborn Public Schools will hold Kindergarten Roundups in April to provide families of incoming students with important information about starting school.
DEARBORN — Parents living in the Dearborn Public Schools district with students planning to start kindergarten in the fall are invited to Kindergarten Roundups at their local elementary school. Parents and guardians can also start enrollment now through the district website.
Each of the district’s 22 schools with elementary students is planning to hold a roundup during April. Kindergarten Roundups provide parents of future kindergarteners with important information about starting school, needed doctor and dentist exams, required student assessments, and how to help prepare a child for class. Enrolling students in the spring, if possible, allows the district to have accurate information to make staffing decisions for the fall.
DPS offers one of the lowest teacher-to-student ratios of any district in Wayne County, with an average classroom size of 21 students in kindergarten through second grade and 23 for third through fifth. Dearborn students show above average academic growth each year as measured on national tests, and the district maintains a 95 percent high school graduation rate and has been recognized for the high number of students who enroll in college. DPS also has received six National Blue Ribbon Awards in the last eight years.
To enroll in kindergarten, students must be 5 years old by Sept. 1 and live within the Dearborn Public Schools boundaries. Waivers are available for students who will turn 5 between Sept. 1 and Dec. 1. For parents already living in the district, the waivers need to be submitted by June 1. Go to https://dearbornschools.org/enroll for the waiver and more information.
Parents who live in Wayne County and want an online school for their child can enroll in Dearborn Public Schools Virtual K-12. The virtual school and the Henry Ford Early College high school are the only Dearborn schools that accept students from outside of the district. Learn more on the Virtual K-12 website. Virtual K-12 will host a welcome event for all parents interested in enrolling their child in the school next year at 11 a.m. April 4.
DPS also offers a free Young 5s program for students who will turn five between June 15 and Dec. 1 this year. That all-day program is offered at select schools and follows the kindergarten curriculum, including music, art, physical education, and STEAM classes. The extra year allows those children to better develop the academic and emotional skills they need to succeed in school. The following year they would enroll in kindergarten at their neighborhood school.
Space is limited for Young 5s. Parents interested in the program may attend Kindergarten Roundup at their neighborhood school or at the school with a Young 5s program they are interested in attending. The district is planning to offer Young 5s at Geer Park, Henry Ford, Lindbergh, Maples, McCollough and Salina elementary schools. See the Young 5 brochure.
For more information, contact Student Services at 313-827-3005. Busing is available only if students will attend their home elementary and live in an area where busing is provided. In most cases, parents will need to provide transportation for their child.
All incoming kindergarten students will need a completed health appraisal from their medical office. New this year, incoming kindergarten students will also need to show they have had a dental health checkup.
For students still a year away from kindergarten, the district also offers the Great Start Readiness Program. This state-sponsored preschool is free to families who qualify and is available at 15 locations around the district. Enrollment for GSRP will begin April 25.
The state has been slowly expanding GSRP eligibility and in the next few years plans to make the program available to any child the correct age. For next year, students must turn 4 by Sept 1. Parents with a child that age may submit an application if they are interested in the program.
Learn more about the district’s programs for its youngest students at www.dearbornschools.org/welcome.
Parents have the option of completing student enrollment entirely online. Enrollment can be started at https://dearbornschools.org/enroll, but will not be complete until required paperwork is submitted. To see which school your child would attend, see the elementary school enrollment map or call Student Services. Kindergarten students are expected to attend the school for their neighborhood, unless they opt into Howe School’s Montessori-style program or the Dearborn Public Schools Virtual K-12 online school.
2025 kindergarten roundup schedule
• Becker Elementary, 313-827-6950 – April 29 at 9:15 a.m.
• Dearborn Public Schools Virtual K-12, 313-827-8405 – April 4 at 11 a.m. via Zoom
• DuVall Elementary, 313-827-2750 – April 14 at 6 p.m.
• Geer Park Elementary, 313-827-2300- April 7 at 2 p.m.
• Haigh Elementary, 313-827-6200 – April 23 at 9:30 a.m.
• Henry Ford Elementary, 313-827-4700 – April 15 at 9:15 a.m.
• Howard Elementary, 313-827-6350 – April 14 at 10 a.m.
• Howe Elementary, 313-827-7000 – April 29 at 9:15 a.m.
• Lindbergh Elementary, 313-827-6300 – April 30 at 6 p.m.
• Long Elementary, 313-827-6100 – April 16 at 6 p.m.
• Lowrey School, 313-827-1800 – April 23 at 9 a.m.
• Maples Elementary, 313-827-6450 – April 30 at 2:30 p.m.
• McCollough Elementary, 313-827-1700 – April 16 at 8:45 a.m.
• McDonald Elementary, 313-827-6700 – April 9 at 9:10 a.m.
• Miller Elementary, 313-827-6850 – April 17 at 9:15 a.m.
• Nowlin Elementary, 313-827-6900 – April 23 at 5 p.m.
• Oakman Elementary, 313-827-6500 – April 16 at 9 a.m.
• River Oaks Elementary, 313-827-6750 – April 23 at 9:30 a.m.
• Salina Elementary, 313-827-6550 – April 4 at 8:30 a.m.
• Snow Elementary, 313-827-6250 – April 8 at 9:15 a.m.
• Whitmore-Bolles Elementary, 313-827-6800 – April 24 at 3 p.m.
• William Ford Elementary, 313-827-6400 – April 23 at 9:15 a.m.
Events are in-person at the school except for Virtual K-12. Check school websites closer to that building’s event for more information. Parents also may contact the elementary school to request more information.