Milan Area Schools reports $13,000 EL grant, narrows Paddock principal search and warns of budget uncertainty

Milan Area Schools administrators told the Board of Education Wednesday, April 23, 2025, that the district received a Section 41 grant of just over $13,000 to support English learner services, and that the Paddock principal search is underway with multiple screening rounds planned this month. Superintendent Ryan Gierbaugh also briefed the board on the district's early work on the 2025'26 preliminary budget and the challenge of setting revenue assumptions while state and federal budgets remain unsettled.

Assistant Superintendent McMahon said the district's Section 41 application was approved and "it's actually a little over $13,000 towards services for our EL students." He said the district amended its application this year to focus more on direct services.

McMahon also outlined the Paddock principal search process. The district received 25 applicants, narrowed the list to 12 for screening interviews and held a first round of screening; he said formal in-person interviews are scheduled for Wednesday, April 30, followed by a second round the next Wednesday that will include district-level administrators. Final site visits and "get to know you" conversations will occur the following week, with the district aiming to bring a candidate to the board for approval on May 20.

Gierbaugh described the constraints the district faces in building the 2025'26 preliminary budget. He said the district has the governor's budget proposal and a House "skinny" budget that addresses critical areas, and that the Senate and a full House budget are expected later. "It is always difficult this time of year to build a preliminary budget because we don't know some of the critical revenues," Gierbaugh said. "The guarantee is we will have a preliminary budget approved by the June 30 deadline one way or another."

Administrators also shared nonfinancial updates: the Milan Middle School production of The Wizard of Oz will run April 25 (7 p.m.), April 26 (2 p.m. and 7 p.m.) and April 27 (2 p.m.). The district's chamber choirs performed at the State Solo and Ensemble Festival and earned "excellent" ratings; the tenor-bass ensemble received perfect scores in performance and sight reading, and a soprano-alto ensemble was one point from perfect. Gierbaugh also asked the community to keep two staff families in their thoughts after recent deaths: Vicky Mori, a Simonds teacher, lost her father; Milan Middle School counselor Christine Bell lost her husband.

Board members used their comments to echo gratitude for administrative assistants, praise arts and extracurricular programs and urge community members to contact state legislators about the importance of timely budgets for schools. Several trustees also highlighted upcoming events: an adult-education graduation (May 21, 7 p.m.), Milan Young Adult Program graduation (May 29, noon), Staff Appreciation Week beginning May 5 and a First Responder Safety Day for families of neurodivergent children this weekend (sponsored by the Milan Area Fire Department and the Police Department).

Why it matters

The Section 41 grant supports direct EL services and is a near-term, restricted funding stream that will be used in 2025 operations. The principal search timeline is material to Paddock staff and families because the district plans to present finalists to the board in May. The budget comments underscore the fiscal uncertainty districts face when state or federal funding amounts are not finalized; that uncertainty can alter staffing and program choices when the district sets a preliminary budget by law.

Ending

Administrators said they will continue the hiring process, file required grant paperwork and return to the board with budget proposals as revenue guidance becomes clearer.