Milan Community Schools receive grants
During the September Milan School Board of Trustees meeting, Superintendent Jane Rogers was pleased to announce the Milan Community Schools were awarded three grants. The first grant was a GEER Grant for $250,000 from federal funds distributed by Governor Holcomb. The four county schools and two parochial schools in Ripley County will share these funds to provide Internet hot spots to families in need. The second grant was a School Safety Grant for $25,000 which will be used to cover part of SRO Noel Houze’s salary, with a third grant from A Digital Learning Capacity Building Grant for $38,000, which is a competitive grant from the state that will allow teachers to learn how to create and deliver high quality digital lessons.
Rogers also announced that the USDA approved a nationwide waiver due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic allowing all students, regardless of socioeconomic status, to receive free breakfasts and lunches at school. The time period for this program is from September 14 until December 18, or until funding runs out. She also noted that as the school is approaching the end of the first quarter, the staff has been outstanding adjusting to changes necessary due to the pandemic, the nurses have provided excellent leadership during this time and she is thankful to work in such a great school environment with a great staff. She also stated that staff and students are continuing to follow all safety protocols for the pandemic.
The board was informed that the state enrollment count day for state funding was September 18. Milan School’s ADM count was 989, which is 40 less than last year. Rogers also informed the board that Milan Schools would once again be offering staff and students the opportunity to receive a flu shot at school during the annual flu clinic on October 21.
Resignations were approved for the following: Paige Love, special education assistant at the elementary school; Megan Wilson, one-to-one assistant at the elementary school; Paul Newton, 3-1/2 hour instructional assistant at the elementary school; Candice Feller as library assistant at the middle school; Shelly Hoffman as a cafeteria employee; and Charlotte Mollaun and Michelle Newberry as middle school custodians.
The following recommendations were also approved: Hunter Gray and Rebecca Schmidt as special education assistants; Liana Sohmers for a 3-1/2 hour Title I assistant; Harley Bruns as a 3-1/2 hour instructional assistant; Shelly Hoffman as Middle School/Intermediate School library assistant; Stacey Gilday to fill a maternity leave for a special education assistant at the intermediate school; Renae Johnson and Megan Ridner as part-time cafeteria employees; Michael Terrill and Shari Brancamp as corporation bus drivers; Tyler Murray and Shyla Hillman as custodians at the middle school; and Jennifer Clark as a custodian at the elementary school. It was also approved to reassign Donna Helseth from custodian to an instructional assistant at the elementary school. Lastly, approval was give for maternity leave for Timmi Jones from approximately November 20, 2020 to February 1, 2021.
The next regular meeting of the Milan Board of School Trustees is scheduled for Monday, October 19 at 7:00 p.m.
