Thanks to a multi-million dollar grant, Dearborn Public Schools is again planning a large 2025 Summer Discovery Program for current elementary and middle school students.
The free Summer Discovery Program will provide fun enrichment activities and additional math and literacy lessons for students, using an extension of the same curriculum students received during the school year. Field trips will also be included.
The Summer Discovery Program is again funded mostly through the United Way for Southeastern Michigan and the Ballmer Group. Last year, 3,600 students took part in Summer Discovery, during the district’s first year offering the program.
The program is only open to students enrolled in Dearborn Public Schools and currently in grades kindergarten through eighth grade. Young 5s Kindergarten is also included. Free breakfast and lunch will be available to participating students.
Sessions for elementary and K-8 buildings will run from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day. The core program will take place from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. for families not interested in breakfast, tutoring, or extended day enrichment.
Middle school times could be the same as elementary, but will more likely be 45 minutes later starting at 8:45 a.m. and running to 4:45 p.m. Middle school times will be finalized as school sites and busing schedules are worked out. Current eighth graders would attend from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and could earn high school credit.
Summer Discovery 2025 starts on Monday, June 23, 2025 and runs Monday through Friday until July 25, 2025. There is no session on July 4. Parents are committing their students to attend at least 17 of the 24 days of the program.
Students can enroll through their regular school starting on March 3. Depending on enrollment, students from different buildings may be consolidated into another nearby location. Students eligible for transportation during the school year are eligible for transportation to and from the summer academic program. Transportation home is not available for students remaining for the additional half hour of enrichment. If a student’s home school is not hosting Summer Discovery, then transportation will be provided from the home school to the assigned summer program school.
Parents are asked to contact the office at their child’s school to enroll their student for the summer program no later than March 20, 2025. Students can register later, but will only be accepted to the program if a space is available. Please see the enrollment form for more details.
The Summer Discovery Program is mostly funded through a grant of up to $6.6 million from the Ballmer Group and United Way for Southeastern Michigan. Another approximately $900,000 is budgeted from the district’s Title 1 funding.
Dearborn Public Schools traditionally offers some summer programs at most schools, but typically the programs are much smaller and focus on helping struggling students strengthen their academic skills. The 2025 Summer Discovery Program is intended to reach a much larger number of students and provide more instruction and more enrichment.
“We are extremely thankful for this grant that will again allow us to provide a great summer program to thousands of students in the district,” said Superintendent Dr. Glenn Maleyko. “We are looking forward to providing students a fun and educational experience that strengthens their academic skills.”
For parents who need paid childcare over the summer, the district is also again offering the Summer Adventure Club. This program accepts children in preschool through fifth grade and runs from June 16 to Aug. 15, 2025. This year childcare returns to Snow Elementary School, 2000 Culver St., Dearborn. Enrollment has opened at dearbornschools.ce.eleyo.com.
