Assistant principal to leave Milan High School
Jon Custer accepts position at Peru
Mary Margaret Moorhead - Staff Writer

In a late addition to the agenda of the Milan Community School Board, members agreed to approve the resignation of Jon Custer, Milan High School's assistant principal.

Meeting on Monday, September 19, Board President David Voss announced the resignation would be contingent upon Custer's signing a new contract as principal of Peru High School. He will assume his new position on October 1.

Agreeing to release Custer from his contract were board members Edward Amberger, Stephanie Baker, Anita Pitts, and Voss. Charles Rohlfing was absent due to illness.

During a special meeting of the board at 6:45 p.m., board members approved the 2006 bus replacement plan, the 2006 capital projects plan, and the 2006 budget. No one appeared in objection to the budget.

Under personnel items the board approved the advertising of driver education positions for fall 2005, winter 2005, and spring 2006 with one classroom instructor and one driving instructor. If numbers dictate, a second driving instructor will be added.

A maternity leave was granted to elementary teacher Renee Mischell from October 11 to February 22, 2006.

Rhonda Goodpaster received unanimous approval as the girls' swim coach with Lawrence Grippo as a voluntary assistant coach.

Upon recommendation by Elementary Principal Jane Rogers, the board approved Mary Beth Hackman to fill the sick leave of Deborah Bovard from August 29 to September 30 and to serve the maternity leave of Renee Mischell from October 11 through February 22.

Field trip requests receiving approval included: * Todd Yates to take 40 students from the College History/Sociology/Psychology classes to the Ohio Renaissance Festival in Harveysburg, Ohio, on September 29;

* First grade teachers Jennifer Block, Dana Burton, Paulette Fette, Stephanie Siemer, and Sherri Zornes to take 95 students to the Cincinnati Zoo on October 14;

* Anita Boggs to take 12 FFA members to the National FFA Convention in Louisville, Kentucky, on October 28.

Fund raising requests receiving approval were:

* Nancy Hershman, sponsor, to permit the junior class to sell items from Keymark from November 12-28;

* Melinda McMullin, sponsor, to permit the drill team to sell items from Expressions and Delisheries from December 5-16;

* Ryan Langferman, coach, to permit the varsity football team to sell 300 split pot tickets for $10 each from September 26 to October 7;

* Richard Dobson and Todd Yates, sponsors, to permit the senior class to have their annual chicken dinner on the night of Homecoming, October 7;

* Robert Hunger, sponsor, to permit the Art Club to sell Subway sandwich discount peeler cards for $10 each from October 14-24;

* Stefani Bedel, director, to permit the middle school band members to sell Hershey candy bars from March 2-16, 2006.

In new business, board members unanimously approved the acceptance of high school on-line credits from all accredited facilities following an explanation by Superintendent Don Swisher that the State of Indiana has issued a memo informing all superintendents that high school credits must be accepted from an accredited virtual school.

A proposal by High School Principal Michael Parks that a fuel surcharge be added to the driver's education fee received unanimous approval. The $10 charge will make the cost of driver's education $285, plus textbook rental fee.

Lease agreements were approved for the following: MIST, the summer swim team, to use the elementary classrooms on Friday, November 4, from 5:30 - 9:30 p.m. for a movie night; Beth Wheat and the USA swim group to use the elementary swimming pool at a cost of $150 to obtain their WSI's.

Also, Kimberly Romack to hold dance instruction classes from October through May at a cost of $25.00 per session; and the Batesville High School boys' swim team to use the elementary pool for practice at a cost of $500.

The Ripley County EMS teams and Milan Rescue 30 received permission to use the front yard of the middle school as a helipad for an air care demonstration to train new personnel on October 13 at 6:30 p.m. The activity will be advertised on the high school sign so that the community will realize this is only a training session.

Superintendent Swisher discussed administrators' goals for the 2005-2006 school year and offered congratulations and good luck to Jon Custer in his new position.

During the president's prerogative part of the agenda, all board members expressed their best wishes to Custer, thanked the large crowd in attendance, wished teachers and students good luck with ISTEP testing, and thanked the school community for all their efforts toward relief for those devastated by Hurricane Katrina.