District launches new community newsletter

Screen shot of first digital The First Bell newsletter

Dearborn Public Schools this week launched a new digital newsletter providing a way for parents, district residents and other stakeholders to stay abreast of what is happening in the district.

The first newsletter can also be viewed online.  Those interested in receiving the district’s newsletter are encouraged to sign up through the Dearborn Public Schools newsletter registration page.

“I’m looking forward to providing the broader Dearborn community with news and information about the incredible accomplishments of our students and the success stories that take place everyday in our classrooms. I know the community is going to appreciate getting accurate, first-hand information from our district,” said Superintendent Glenn Maleyko.

The district has a long history of providing information directly to the public, and the new digital  newsletter is just another tool for doing that.  District news and updates are always posted on the First Bell website. Anyone can subscribe to the website and receive an email when new items are posted.  Posts include press releases, feature articles and videos, and school board meeting videos.  The website also has a calendar of upcoming public events at our schools such as theater performances or information sessions.

The digital newsletter is a way to get a quick summary of information from the district, both recent news items and features about ongoing programs. 

Before the pandemic, Dearborn Public Schools mailed monthly newsletters to every home in the district during the school year.  The month-long lead time to print and bulk mail the newsletters made them impractical during the pandemic when so much about school was changing so frequently.  The cost versus effectiveness of mailing information to more than 30,000 households in the district was also a consideration.

The new First Bell digital newsletter is available to anyone interested in subscribing.  To launch the newsletter, the district compiled parent emails in addition to emails from those who had subscribed to the First Bell website and to Superintendent Glenn Maleyko’s blog.  Unsubscribing only takes one click at the bottom of the newsletter.