Wm. Allen Millican is preparing to serve his third term representing District 7 on the Gadsden City Board of Education, where he has served for seven years, including five years as board president.
A 1968 graduate of Emma Sansom High School, Millican has spent most of his career serving the Gadsden community. He has practiced law since 1983 and served as an Etowah County circuit judge in 2017. In addition to his role on the school board, he serves on the boards of the Challenger Learning Center of Northeast Alabama and Darden Rehabilitation Services.
Millican credited the board’s ability to work together despite differing viewpoints.
“Our motto is ‘No Drama, Just Hard Work,’” he said. “We don’t agree on everything, but we always find common ground and work toward a common goal.”
Millican said providing a quality education remains the board’s highest priority.
“Academic excellence is something we constantly strive for,” he said. “Through our dual enrollment program and workforce development partnership with Gadsden State Community College, we are preparing students for a brighter future, whether they choose college or a skilled trade.”
Millican said the school system continues to experience growth, noting that Gadsden City Schools is one of only 12 of Alabama’s 140 school systems to report increased enrollment.
He also highlighted several recent accomplishments, including the purchase of 21 fully paid, air-conditioned school buses and the district earning an overall grade of B on the state’s report card for two consecutive years. Several elementary schools have also received state recognition for academic achievement and improvement.
“We have more than 25 athletic teams and a fine arts program that rivals any in the state,” Millican said.
He also pointed to the district’s 13 career and technical education programs, which recently expanded to include carpentry, auto body and computer-aided design. In addition, he noted the district has captured quiz bowl championships at the elementary, middle and high school levels.
Looking ahead, Millican said the board’s long-term priority is the construction of a new consolidated middle school.
“We are all in agreement that we need a new, consolidated middle school,” he said.
Millican said the board has evaluated potential costs, long-term savings through attrition, possible locations, traffic flow and transportation as part of the planning process.
“We’re planning for the future,” he said. “Over the next four years, we want to lay the groundwork for this endeavor and ask for the community’s input, support, patience and, most importantly, prayers.”
