By By SCOTT NOVAK / Dowagiac Daily News
The Dowagiac Board of Education hired Kelly Millin as the assistant principal at Dowagiac Union High School at its meeting Monday night at Dowagiac Middle School.
Millin, who has been a teacher in the Union School District for the past 12 years and has 15 years of teaching experience, replaces Edgar Wilson, who resigned to accept a position at Forest Hills Eastern in Grand Rapids.
Millin has co-chaired the high school's North Central Accreditation committee for the last four years.
Millin is a 1987 graduate of Niles High School. She received her Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts degrees from Western Michigan University.
She taught at Galien Township Schools from 1992 until 1994. She joined the Dowagiac Union School District in August of 1994. She did her student teaching at Dowagiac in 1991.
"We wish Mr. Wilson great success in his new position and feel quite good that his time in Dowagiac was productive," Dowagiac Superintendent Peg Stowers said. "We are sure he will enjoy his new position with Forest Hills Eastern. As for the hiring of Kelly Millin as the new Assistant Principal at Union, we are excited that an internal candidate surfaced to the top of the applicants and is interested in beginning her administrative career in Dowagiac.
"She is a well represented member of the high school and district teaching staff that has grown in several leadership roles through the years," Stowers continued. "She brings a new skill set to the position that will enhance the position and the future partnership among the high school leadership team."
Stowers also presented the Dowagiac Union Schools annual report.
Among the highlights were:
the new middle school welcomed its first seventh and eighth grade classes and staff, and that the project was completed on time and within budget;
the staff continued to work throughout the year to meet the challenges of the new grades 3-8 MEAP testing, as well as the district-wide initiative to engage in NWEA fall and spring testing for grades 2-10;
the district-wide School Improvement Team continued its mission of charting the district's course for the next five-plus years;
Dowagiac continues to provide full academic and extra-curricular programs with the dollars provided by the State of Michigan. She noted that the district is proud of the fact that it has not had to cut programs, has not had to make staff lay-offs and continues to provide uprades in both instructional equipment and materials.
The district announced its lunch prices for the coming school year.
Student breakfasts will be $1.20, while elementary school lunch will be $2. The cost of lunch for middle school/high school students will be $2.10. An adult breakfast will cost $1.70, while an adult lunch will cost $2.85. All of those prices are 10 cents higher than the 2005-06 prices. Prices were not raised last year from the 2004-05 pricing.
Milk will remain at 40 cents.
The district also hired several new coaches for the fall sports season. Matt Stewart was hired as a junior varsity football coach, while Daniel Ostyn and Brad Yaughstetter were hired as co-coaches for the girls' junior varsity basketball team.
The board also granted a family medical leave for Jacki Inman of McKinley Elementary.
The board also hired Sue Balazer as the Special Education Coordinator for the district.
The district approved the payment of bills and appointed delegates to the Michigan Association of School Boards Delegate Assembly on Nov. 9 in Detroit.
The delegates are Larry Seurynck, Sherry File and Randy Cuthbert.
The board adjourned into closed session for a negotiation update.