Dearborn Schools Names First Arab American, Muslim Superintendent
Mike Esseily becomes Dearborn Public Schools’ first Arab American and Muslim superintendent, leading a district of 20,000 students with large Middle Eastern populations.
DEARBORN, MICHIGAN — Mike Esseily has been selected to lead Dearborn Public Schools as its new superintendent, becoming the first Arab American and Muslim educator to hold the position in the district’s history.
The Dearborn Public Schools Board of Education announced Esseily’s selection on Monday after a national search process. He currently serves as the district’s executive director for Special Populations, overseeing special education, English-language learners, and mental health programs.
Esseily must still negotiate his contract before being officially hired as superintendent. Once finalized, he will replace Glenn Maleyko, who left the position to become Michigan’s state superintendent of public instruction, overseeing all public K-12 education programs throughout the state.
Career Within the District
Esseily has built his career within Dearborn Public Schools, progressing through multiple leadership roles in special education. Before his current executive director position, he served as the district’s director of special education and spent two years as special education coordinator prior to that role.
His appointment comes as the district serves approximately 20,000 students, making it one of Michigan’s largest school systems. The district has a significant concentration of students from Middle Eastern backgrounds, including high populations of Lebanese, Yemeni, Palestinian, and Iraqi students.
National Search Process
The Michigan Leadership Institute conducted the national search for Maleyko’s replacement. According to the organization’s news release, about 25 candidates applied for the superintendent position.
The candidate pool was narrowed to six for initial reviews, with three finalists ultimately named. One finalist withdrew from consideration, leaving Esseily competing against Moussa Hamka, the assistant superintendent of Human Resources for Grosse Pointe Public Schools.
Esseily’s selection represents a hometown choice, as he has spent his entire administrative career within the Dearborn district. As a Muslim and Arab American leader, he will potentially helm a district where many students and families share similar backgrounds and religious practices.
The superintendent position oversees all aspects of the district’s operations, including curriculum, budgeting, personnel decisions, and strategic planning for the school system’s future direction.
