Milan School Bd. awards bid for pool project
Mary Margaret Moorhead - Staff Writer

Milan Community School Board voted unanimously at their Monday, November 15, meeting to award the bid for the swimming pool renovation dehumidification project to Debra-Kuempel for a total cost of $143,569.

Lowest of three bidders, Debra-Kuempel received the recommendation of Jerry Firestone of RQAW and a motion by Board Member Stephanie Baker, a second by Charles Rohlfing, and a 5-0 vote.

Meeting in the Administration Building with a full audience of ad
ministrators, teachers, parents, and students, the Milan School Board approved the request of the Dearborn County YMCA to offer water aerobics classes and swimming lessons to members of their community.

Swim Coach Kim Hogue will be in charge of both projects for the Dearborn County YMCA. According to a motion by Board Member Anita Pitts, the use of the Milan facility will be free of charge with the stipulation that there are no conflicts with programs already in progress at the pool.

The only other new business included the adoption of a resolution to participate in the bond bank carry over program.

Personnel decisions included the acceptance of the resignations of Ryan Langferman as the sixth grade boys' basketball coach and Jeremiah Loehmer as reserve baseball coach.

Board members unanimously approved the hiring of Karissa Stutler as sixth grade girls' basketball coach and Ryan Langferman as eighth grade boys' basketball coach.

At the beginning of the meeting, Athletic Director Marty Layden presented Student Athlete of the Month awards to the following: August - Amanda Walter from the girls' golf team with a 4.0 GPA and first in the sophomore class and to Josh Smith from the football team with a 3.83 GPA.

September Student Athletes were Megan Lade from the girls' cross country team and varsity cheerleading squad with a 4.0 GPA and first in the junior class and Adam Hooker from the boys' tennis team with a 3.99 GPA and fourth in the senior class.

For October, the Student Athletes were Jennifer Wullenweber from the volleyball team and varsity cheerleading squad with a 4.0 GPA and Brandon Welti from the boys' cross country team with a 3.67 GPA and 11th in The J. Martin Layden Award went to the girls' golf team for obtaining the highest GPA for the fall season with an overall average of 3.68.
A field trip request for the Art Club to travel to Atlanta, Georgia, from April 27 until May 1, 2005, received the board's approval following a presentation by Art Teacher Bob Hunger.

Updating the board on special accomplishments of the art students, Hunger spoke of winners of the Versailles Pumpkin Show Art Contest and showed slides of the students' work.

He explained that the itinerary planned for the Art Club trip would include a workshop at Stone Mountain Village on silk painting, tours of the High Museum of Art, the Nexus Contemporary Art Center, the CNN Studios, and the Center for Puppetry Arts.

High School Guidance Counselor David Steckel reviewed activities of the Guidance Department and presented each board member with a packet of information.

A recent Gold Star Counseling workshop was attended by 25-30 community people, including business leaders, church members, community leaders, administrators, and parents. The objective of the workshop was to examine ways to raise student achievement.

Representatives from both the high school and the elementary school reported on recent Veterans Day programs.

Third Grade Teacher Renee Mischell showed a power/point presentation she and Instructional Aide Jeffrey Mersmann had prepared for the elementary program. She noted that the students had used the internet to research information for the presentation.

Students had also picked the font for the written words and the background colors. As a learning process for the real meaning of Veterans Day, she felt the students were pleased and excited with the end results.

High School Student Council Members Katie Volz and Sarah Kraushar reported on the high school Veterans Day program, noting that a large number of veterans had attended and were introduced by name, branch of service, and years served.

Kraushar presented a power/point presentation that highlighted a number of local veterans and was part of the high school program.

In his report, Superintendent Don Swisher complimented both the elementary and the high school programs, stating he had attended the elementary school's and was impressed with the presentations and the elementary staff choir's performance.

He presented the board his five-year education plan and said he believes schools are facing perilous times as far as the state government's controlling schools and changing the

requirements for graduation.

According to Superintendent Swisher, his priorities are to update the standards, provide for the safety of the student body, and provide opportunities for the students to grow, while at the same time reducing expenditures.

During the patrons' concerns part of the agenda, a parent spoke to the board about criteria for trying out for varsity basketball. President David Voss said the board would take the matter under advisement.

Board members Voss, Baker, Pitts, Rohlfing, and Edward Amberger thanked those in attendance, expressed appreciation for the presentations, and moved to adjourn the meeting at 8:12 p.m.