About Us
Milan Area Schools embraces nearly 90 square miles and serves households in both Washtenaw and Monroe Counties. The district is proud to note that its staff is made up of both veteran teachers and those new to the profession, all of whom are highly qualified. The four school buildings that comprise the Milan Area School District operate as schools-of-choice facilities and consistently enroll students from within the county and from the four surrounding counties. The district offers exceptional educational programs to approximately 2,000 students ranging from birth to 26 years old.
History of Milan Area Schools
The history of public education in Milan dates back to the 1830s, when local residents recognized the need for a school and organized the first educational program. The first schoolhouse—a simple log structure—was built in the 100 block of East Main Street. In 1882, a two-room brick building was constructed at the corner of Hurd Street and Ferman Avenue. Over time, the school expanded to include six classrooms and a library.
After a devastating fire on January 12, 1900, the school was rebuilt as a larger, more modern facility. In 1927, a new addition was funded through a $135,000 bond approved by the community in 1925. The addition included a gymnasium/auditorium and additional classrooms, marking a new era of educational growth in Milan.
In 1954, the Milan Area Schools district was formally established through the reorganization of school systems across Washtenaw, Monroe, and Lenawee counties. As enrollment grew, the district responded by constructing Vern Paddock Elementary in 1957 and three additional outlying elementary schools named in honor of long-time educators: Robert Jones, Glenn Brainard, and George Allen.
A new Milan High School opened in 1958 at 920 North Street, serving 475 students. The $1.5 million facility eventually replaced the former high school on Hurd Street, which became home to grades 6–8 until the opening of Milan Middle School on Platt Road in 1969. The high school was expanded several times over the years, with a major addition in 1997 that included a competition gym and a combined library/auditorium known as the Librarium.
In 1965, the Milan Chapter of the Michigan Education Association (MEA) was formed. At that time, the district served 2,821 students, employed 137 certified teachers, and spanned 89 square miles with 10 administrators.
Over time, the outlying elementary schools were closed or sold, and all elementary students were consolidated into Vern Paddock Elementary. The district operated three main buildings—Paddock Elementary, Milan Middle School, and Milan High School—until 2003, when a new high school opened at 100 Big Red Drive on Redman Road. This led to a reconfiguration of grade levels:
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Paddock Elementary: Preschool through Grade 2
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Symons Elementary: Grades 3–5 (formerly Milan Middle School)
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Milan Middle School: Grades 6–8 (formerly Milan High School)
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Milan High School: Grades 9–12
Symons Elementary was named in honor of Clayton H. Symons, Superintendent of Schools from 1964 to 1993.
From 2009 to 2012, the district underwent major renovations. Paddock, Symons, and Milan Middle School were fully updated, Milan High School gained a new addition—the Milan Center for Innovation—and a new transportation facility was constructed to support district operations.
In 2024, the district implemented a new grade reconfiguration designed to expand early childhood programming and improve transitions between school buildings. The updated grade structure is:
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Paddock Elementary: Birth through Grade 1
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Symons Elementary: Grades 2–4
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Milan Middle School: Grades 5–8
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Milan High School: Grades 9–12
This shift allows Milan Area Schools to provide earlier access to high-quality learning experiences and better support students and families through key transition points across the K–12 journey.