The Milan School Board met for its regular session on Monday, October 17. The board approved changes to its substitute teacher policy during the meeting.

Superintendent Dr. Thomas Reale suggested the board make a minimum age change to policy #4500 Substitute Teachers. “This policy has not been updated for 15 years,” said Dr. Reale. He suggested the minimum age for substitute teachers be 21 because substitute teachers are unsupervised.

Board member Randy Kirk made the motion the board table the policy change and have time to discuss it amongst themselves before making a change. The motion failed.

Discussion over the policy change continued with board members looking for clarification. One concern the board had was if a student graduates at 17 and goes on to get their four-year degree, they will graduate before turning 21 and will need the classroom experience before being hired. A college student studying education is required to complete so many hours of student teaching before graduating.

Reale explained that student teaching is supervised and substitute teaching is unsupervised. He expressed concern that a substitute teacher under the age of 21 may not be mature enough to be in a productive, unsupervised teaching environment that could possibly be with students just a couple years younger than them.

“We don’t have an abundance (of substitute teachers) but this will not hurt our ability to have enough qualified substitutes,” said Reale when asked if it would hurt the corporation’s substitute supply.
The motion to approve the change that requires substitute teachers be at least 21 years old to policy #4500 carried 3-2 with Randy Kirk and Ted Amberger opposed.

In other news:

• The board approved the 2012 budget for submission to the state.

• Anita Boggs and the Milan Agriscience Advisory Board gave an update. Boggs reported FFA membership has increased by 16 members with a total of 50 students involved in FFA.

• The board approved facility use agreements with St. Nicholas School, the Pee Wee/Youth Football Leagues, and Margaret Mary Hospital’s walking program.

• Dr. Reale explained changes in the delivery of the health curriculum at the middle school and answered questions concerning language arts instruction in sixth grade.

• Jack Day resigned as 7th grade girls basketball coach.

• The board appointed Adrian Wilburn as reserve wrestling coach and Ron Prozanski as middle school wrestling coach.

• The board approved the hiring of Kayla Crank to a one-year position as a special needs aide at MES. The position is to be funded by ROD.

• The board approved a maternity leave request from Brandy Bastin.

All board members were in attendance. The next regular session of the Milan School Board is scheduled for Monday, November 21 at 7:00 p.m. at the administration building.