Several facility updates to improve the district’s high school offerings are planned or underway at Henry Ford Early College and the Michael Berry Career Center.
Dearborn Public Schools now owns two buildings that house the Henry Ford Early College on the northwest side of the Henry Ford College campus. Renovations have started at these buildings, and major renovations are expected for the 2025-26 school year. Once the renovations are complete, all the classes Early College students take will be housed in those two buildings. There will be classrooms, science labs, a cafeteria, main office, counselor office, and main entrances to accommodate busing and parents that drop off their students. Having a separate space will provide students a better transition while still allowing them to be on the college campus.
This work is expected to cost $12 million. Most of this is funded with dollars the district saved by applying COVID-related assistance to other areas of the budget.
The Henry Ford Early College includes three programs and about 700 students. All the programs are run in conjunction with Henry Ford College and all involve students attending for five years to earn both a high school diploma and an associate degree or trade certification at no cost to the family. Programs are divided by career focus including medical fields, industry-related, and education.
Other planned renovations in Dearborn Public Schools will focus on improving offerings at the Michael Berry Career Center.
This school year (2024-25), the district launched a new cybersecurity program. Construction is underway to carve out a separate cybersecurity lab from an open floor plan computer lab on the second floor of the building. Staff are working to fully develop the program and are collaborating with Henry Ford College and industry partners. The development of the cybersecurity program, including the lab space, was assisted by a $250,000 grant from the State of Michigan.
The district is also using a separate $2.5 million state grant for vocational-technical education that will result in an addition at the Berry Career Center. Architects are working on plans to create a pre-skilled trades lab and automotive service center lab. Some existing classes in those areas at Fordson, Edsel Ford and Dearborn High would then move to the career center to make them accessible to all students. District students from 10th grade and up are bused to the career center to take classes in their chosen program.
Berry Career Center construction is at least a year away, if additional funding can be found, and could also include revamping some of the existing spaces in the building in addition to an addition. Besides the state funding, the district has applied for federal grants in hopes of maximizing the project.
“We are hoping to better position our students with career opportunities post high school with these programs as the job market in southeast Michigan continues to grow in these areas,” said Adam Martin, executive director of student achievement.
On a related note, Adult and Community Education over the summer moved its offices and some Adult Education classes out of the Dearborn Heights Campus and into space on the main Henry Ford College campus. The new location provides a better environment for Adult Ed students while also freeing up space on the Michael Berry Campus to support special education students.
“We are proud of the variety of options we provide to our high school students to help them explore their interests and be prepared for the next stage of their lives,” said Superintendent Glenn Maleyko. “We appreciate the outside state and federal funding that has helped make these specific projects possible.”