Howe Montessori and Special Education Center is in a building originally constructed in 1951.  Other programs are also housed in the building, which is part of the Dearborn Heights Campus.

The 2026 transformational bond calls for moving the special education program to the newly constructed Nowlin-Smith School.  There, the district’s most severely disabled students will have facilities designed to meet their needs, including wider hallways for equipment and specially designed restrooms for students who need assistance.  For an overview of the Smith project, see the Smith one-page flyer.

Howe School/Dearborn Heights campus

An illustration of the original section of the Dearborn Heights Campus, which includes Howe School, showing sections of the building were constructed in 1951, 1956 and 1960.

Proposed Nowlin-Smith School

An illustration of where the new Nowlin Smith School would be built on the campus the two schools currently share.

Phase 1 (Years one to five)

Construction of a new Nowlin-Smith preschool through eighth grade building.  Estimated cost $120,536,500.

New building features:

  • New educational spaces for general and special education students
  • Art/music/STEAM/career exploration labs
  • Separate gyms for elementary and middle school students and a shared gymnatorium for all grades
  • Separate cafeterias for elementary and middle school students
  • Pool with ADA ramp 
  • Age-appropriate and accessible playgrounds
  • New turf field and running track
  • Secured vestibule/reception
  • Separate bus loop/drop-off
  • Expanded parking

About PK-8 schools

Combining existing buildings into new schools will allow the district to reduce its total footprint to less than 2 million square feet.  Instead of maintaining two buildings only blocks apart, the district would have one new, modern facility for students.  

Creating preschool-through eighth grade buildings will allow students and families to form strong bonds while remaining in their neighborhood school for much longer. Elementary and middle school students would be separated for classes, meals, recess, lineup, and dismissal, but all students could use special spaces like STEM labs, music rooms, and gymnasium-auditoriums.  An ADA accessible pool would also be included and a turf athletic field. 

Students and families would benefit from staying in the same neighborhood school for up to 10 years – from free GSRP preschool through eighth grade.

Learn more about the 2026 transformational bond on the district website.

An illustration of the separate elementary and middle school wings in a PK-8 building.