Dearborn sets a new first with its next superintendent choice
Dearborn sets a new first with its next superintendent choice
Jennifer Pignolet, The Detroit NewsTue, May 5, 2026 at 5:13 PM UTC
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The Dearborn Public Schools board has selected an internal candidate, Mike Esseily, to be the next superintendent of the state's third-largest district.
The board voted 5-2 to appoint Esseily pending a contract negotiation at a special Monday night meeting. His anticipated start date, if negotiations are successful, is July 1. If installed, Esseily would be the first Arab American to be the permanent superintendent of Dearborn, which has a predominantly Arab American student population.
Esseily has been the district's executive director of special populations since 2020, overseeing special education, English language learners and mental health initiatives. He previously spent three years as the district's director of special education and two years as a special education coordinator.
The Dearborn Public Schools board chose internal candidate Mike Esseily as the district's next superintendent.
Esseily started as a special education teacher in Dearborn schools in 2007, working at the Stout Middle School and the Edsel Ford High School. He also served as an assistant principal at the Lowrey Middle School.
Esseily will be taking over at a pivotal time, as the board works to decide how to move forward with a possible bond proposal on the November ballot. The district has between $1 billion and $1.5 billion of looming repair and replacement costs on its aging school buildings.
The board launched a search last fall after the previous superintendent, Glenn Maleyko, was appointed state superintendent. Maleyko had lead Dearborn for over a decade.
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The board selected three finalists: Esseily; Thomas Ahart, the former superintendent of the Des Moines Public Schools; and Moussa Hamka, assistant superintendent of human resources at the Grosse Pointe Public School System.
Ahart withdrew his name from consideration ahead of the final interviews.
The board appointed an interim superintendent, Lamis Srour, during the national search. She was the first woman, first Arab American and first Muslim to lead the district, but said when appointed interim that she did not want the job permanently.
The board used the Michigan Leadership Institute as its search firm.
jpignolet@detroitnews.com.
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Dearborn's superintendent selection sets a new first for school district
Source: “AOL Money”
