HFC community invited to meet the Dearborn Superintendent
The HFC community, along with Dearborn residents, is invited to meet Mike Esseily, the new superintendent of the Dearborn K-12 Public Schools.
"I encourage people from HFC to attend a Meet the Superintendent session,” said Esseily. “HFC is an integral part of the Dearborn community and is one of the school district’s community partners."
Esseily, an HFC alumnus, will host a meet-and-greet with the community and speak about his vision for the district. The Meet the Superintendent sessions are scheduled for:
- Tuesday, August 11, at 6 p.m. at Fordson High School, 13800 Ford Rd. in Dearborn.
- Thursday, August 13, at 3:30 p.m. at Salina Intermediate School, 2623 Salina St. in Dearborn.
- Tuesday, August 18, at 6 p.m. at Dearborn High School, 19501 Outer Dr. in Dearborn.
On June 22, the Dearborn Public Schools Board of Education, which is also the HFC Board of Trustees, unanimously voted to name Esseily as the district’s new superintendent. He began his new role on July 1, the same day HFC President David M. Knezek, Jr. began his presidency.
HFC’s role in Esseily’s success
Esseily is a lifelong resident of Dearborn. He attended Fordson and HFC (then Henry Ford Community College). HFC is the only community college in Michigan to be affiliated with a P-12 school district.
HFC played a pivotal role in Esseily’s success. The College allowed him to take college classes at an affordable rate, and helped instill in him a strong work ethic.
“As a high school student going into a college setting, the reality of being successful or not being successful is not as daunting when you’re under the protection of your parents’ safety blanket,” explained Esseily. “Attending HFC was a great learning experience for me. It instilled in me a very strong work ethic. I was an average student until I got to HFC. I then excelled at Wayne State University and graduated near the top of my class. HFC taught me that your success depends on you more than any system. I’ve carried that through the rest of my college days and into my professional career.”
Esseily is the first Arab American to be the district’s superintendent.
“I understand that leadership is about bringing people together, building trust, and finding common ground around what matters most: Our students and their future,” said Esseily. “I look forward to connecting with our students, staff, families, and community members.”
For questions or more information about Meet the Superintendent, contact Katie Hetrick at 313-827-3006 or hetrick@dearbornschools.org.