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Milan director of schools outlines safety upgrades, academic gains and staffing investments
Summary
Dr. Hamlet told the board the district'wide ready-graduate rate is 96.4% for the class of 2025, outlined investments in salaries and supports, and said the district will install a wearable badge-alert safety system (cost $18,750 from a state safety grant) beginning August 2026.
Dr. Hamlet, director of schools for the Milan Special School District, told the board the district's "ready graduate" rate for the class of 2025 is 96.4 percent and highlighted academic and operational investments the district has recently made and plans to start.
"Our snapshot academic wise, we have 96.4% ready graduate, class of 2025," Dr. Hamlet said. He said the district invested about $900,000 in salaries this year to meet a $50,000 minimum-salary target and restored roughly $120,000 to student supports such as behavior supports and contracts with outside agencies. Instructional support and professional development spending was about $100,000.
On safety and operations, Hamlet described a planned wearable badge-alert system (described in the meeting as "wearable shield" badge alerts). He said the district anticipates starting the system in August 2026, and that the cost for installation and upkeep is $18,750, paid from a state safety grant. "We anticipate this starting in August because they have put in all of the Wi Fi technology that's needed for these instant wearable alerting systems," he said. Hamlet also said the project is being led by Craig Rogers and will be coordinated with the local police department, which will have direct access to the system.
Hamlet listed other operational changes: a GPS bus tracking system for parents to follow routes, a new SRO vehicle, and a revised discipline framework at the middle school that administrators are still adjusting. He described partnerships and professional development programs including Reach University (noting a $75-per-month option for staff pursuing a bachelor's degree), the National Institute of School Leadership, and an aspiring leaders fellowship to develop future principals. He reminded families of pre-K registration procedures (packets distributed March 23'March 30; in-person registration May 5) and noted EOC and TCAP testing scheduled April 13 through May 6.
Hamlet characterized some safety details as sensitive and said the district cannot disclose all operational specifics but emphasized that staff who participate will receive training and that the police department will have direct access to alerts.
