Superintendent Newsletter » January 2026

January 2026

Dear District 7 Families,
 
I want to begin by expressing my appreciation for the dedication and hard work demonstrated across our entire District 7 community. The close of the first semester is always both a celebration and a challenge — a celebration of learning, growth, and resilience, and a challenge as students and staff push through major assessments and end-of-term deadlines.

Despite the cold weather that can certainly put a damper on routines and motivation, our teachers, support staff, and students continue to show up with focus and determination. Their commitment inspires me daily. 

Thank you to our families as well for supporting learning in countless ways at home. District 7 could not thrive without your partnership.

With the start of the second semester, we are embracing new beginnings — new goals, new opportunities, and new ways to grow. I am confident that the same determination that carried us through the end of the first semester will lead us to an even stronger finish to the school year.

To our entire District 7 community: thank you for everything you do. Let’s continue forward together.
Wednesday, February 4th
 Half Day Elementary Only Conferences
Thursday, February 5, 2026 Half-day (K–12) Conferences
Wednesday, February 11, 2026 Full day Count Day
Friday, February 13, 2026 No school (K–12) Staff PD
Monday, February 16, 2026 No school (K–12 & staff) Midwinter Break
Tuesday, February 17, 2026 No school (K–12 & staff) Midwinter Break
Sunday, March 8, 2026   Daylight Saving Time
Friday, March 27, 2026 Half Day (K-12 & Staff) End of Marking Period
Monday, March 23, 2026 No school (K–12) Float Day, PD for Staff
Monday, March 30, 2026 through April 5, 2026 No school (K–12 & staff) Spring Break and Easter
Snow Days and Inclement Weather: 

I’m sure I don’t need to let anyone know that our cold weather and snow have arrived, and with that comes snow days. Just a reminder that we take several factors into consideration when making a closure decision. 
Temperatures and windchills certainly come into play, and because we are a walking district with no buses, our circumstances can differ from neighboring districts. With lower windchills, we may close when others remain open because we prioritize the safety of all of our students. When a district closure is issued, we use multiple communication methods including InTouch (Robo calls), emails, our D7 website, and local TV stations where you can access their school closing apps. 

We do our best to communicate closures the night before so families can make childcare arrangements; however, that is not always feasible, and at times the decision must be made in the morning. In those situations, we notify you as early as possible. Thank you for your patience as we navigate another Midwest winter.
As always, thank you for your support. We are stronger as we work together!
Sincerely,
Mark R. Kleinhans 
Superintendent 
Dearborn Heights School D7