Dr. Glenn Maleyko, Superintendent, Dearborn Public Schools

In 1995, Superintendent Glenn Maleyko, Ph.D. began his career in education at Oakman and Maples Elementary in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburban community bordering Detroit.  In 1997, he was hired as a full-time teacher at Salina Elementary, a school that would become home for the next 12 years.  He was named Assistant Principal in 2002 and then Principal of Salina Intermediate in 2003.  In 2009, Dr. Maleyko was appointed Principal at DuVall Elementary.  Two years later, Maleyko was selected as the new Director of Human Resources and then in 2013 was named Executive Director of Staff and Student Services.  He remained in that role until 2015 when he was the unanimous choice of the Board of Education to take the top spot as the leader of the 21,000 student district.

Dr. Maleyko holds four degrees including a bachelor’s degree in history and political science from the University of Windsor, a master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction, and a specialist degree in Educational Leadership from the University of Detroit Mercy.  He graduated from Wayne State University in 2011 with a Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies.

Superintendent Maleyko has written several articles pertaining to educational practices and has authored research presented at a scholarly research conference.  He also presented on a variety of educational topics at both state and national conferences. Staying active in several professional organizations, Dr. Maleyko currently serves as President Elect for the Michigan Association of Superintendents and Administrators (MASA)  and for the 2021-22 school year was president of the Middle Cities Education Association.  He is also on the board of the Metropolitan Bureau and the Dearborn Education Foundation.

Dr. Maleyko has a long history of leadership in the Dearborn Public Schools. He was named a model school principal by Dr. Bill Daggett’s International Center for Leadership in Education (ICLE) in 2009.  As the Superintendent of Dearborn Public Schools, he has received a Highly Effective rating by the Board of Education for six years in a row as graduation rates in Dearborn have achieved an all time high of 95 percent district-wide.  In 2018, Dearborn was featured as  the cover story in the MASA summer magazine for success with graduation rates and for providing a high quality education for Dearborn students.  In May 2020, Dr. Maleyko was tapped to co-chair one of three state-wide work groups providing input for how schools could reopen in the fall during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Under Dr. Maleyko’s leadership, the District has been recognized by Bridge Magazine and the Mackinac Center as one of the top school districts in the state.  In addition, Becker Elementary received a National Blue Ribbon Award in 2017, STEM Middle School in 2018, Lindbergh Elementary in 2019, and Haigh Elementary and Henry Ford Early College in 2021.  The early college is only the 10th high school in Michigan to be honored with a Blue Ribbon Award since the program started.  In 2018 Maples Elementary was honored with a National Title One Distinguished School Award.  In 2018 Dearborn Public Schools was one of 45 districts that received recognition from the District Administration Leadership Institute (DALI) for success with the implementation of an innovative school improvement model.  Dr. Maleyko continues to be very visible in the schools and community averaging more than 400 school visits per year.

In 2018, under Dr. Maleyko’s leadership, the District was able to reach agreements with all five labor unions representing district staff members.  All contracts passed with a wide margin of approval, including two of the contracts passing with more than 90% of union members voting in the affirmative.  Due to his positive relationship with employees and unions, he received the Collaborative Leadership Award from the Michigan Labor Management Association. Superintendent Maleyko has a long standing policy of open communication and transparency with all stakeholders.  His team approach to leadership has guided the district through several critical issues including boundary line changes, developing a plan to address infrastructure needs, updating the current strategic plan, and implementing rapid changes and new instruction models during the pandemic.

Dr. Maleyko received a very prestigious recognition by MASA as the 2019 Superintendent of the Year in the State of Michigan. Click Here to view the press release. That was followed up by the Dearborn Chamber of Commerce Awarding him as the Business Person of the year in 2019.  Also in 2019 he was elected to the MASA Executive Board of School Superintendents. 

Dr. Maleyko is married with two children, is the Past President of the Dearborn Rotary Club, a member of the Dearborn Exchange Club and Amicus Club, and enjoys reading and cheering for his favorite hockey team, the Detroit Red Wings.