Neil Pedersen, Executive Director of the Central Carolina Regional Education Service Alliance (CCRESA), announced on Sunday, June 24th, that Dr. Patrick C. Miller, Superintendent of the Greene County Schools, had been selected by a vote of his fellow superintendents to be the 2018-19 Central Carolina Regional Superintendent of the Year. Dr. Miller was nominated by his Board Chair, Ms. Patricia Adams. Dr. Miller is now one of eight candidates who will be considered for the honor of being the 2018-19 A. Craig Phillips North Carolina Superintendent of the Year. The selection of the recipient of this award will be announced at the North Carolina School Boards Association meeting in November.
Dr. Miller is a native of Greene County and has spent his entire career in the Greene County Schools. He earned his Bachelor’s in Music Education from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1993. He earned his Master’s Degree and his Doctorate in Education from East Carolina University in 2005 and 2011, respectively. Dr. Miller began his teaching career as a choral music and theatre arts teacher at Greene Central High School in 1993. After completing his North Carolina Principal Fellowship in 2005, he was named principal at West Greene Elementary School. Since 2008, Dr. Miller has served as Superintendent of Greene County Schools. He was named Superintendent of the Year by the North Carolina School Community Health Alliance in 2012; and Regional Superintendent of the Year by the Central Carolina Regional Education Service Alliance in 2015.
Below are quotes from the nomination letter submitted by Patricia Lee Adams, Chair of the Greene County School Board:
“Since his first day on the job as superintendent, Dr. Miller has been a staunch advocate for innovation in the Greene County Schools classrooms so that they can meet the learning needs of each of their students. He has continued to sustain and enhance the district’s 1:1 initiative for students in grades 6-12 in support of online and blended learning. Dr. Miller and his team have also sustained and enhanced an award-winning two-way immersion program in grades K-5.”
“A point of emphasis for Dr. Miller has been to make sure students are graduating high school and, therefore, paving the way for future life success. He has led GCS to the fifth best graduation rate in the state for the past two years. The rate for 2016-17 was 94.5%. Accordingly, the dropout rate was over 6% in 2008 but now is under 1%, a true testament to Dr. Miller’s leadership and vision.”
“Additionally, through his hard work and dedication, GCS has received almost $5 million in grant funding since 2008. His comprehensive STEM program PK-13 led to two schools, Greene County Middle and Greene Central High, being designated as STEM Model Schools of Distinction by the State Board of Education. As a result of these initiatives and others, GCS has been named one of 25 national models of Innovative Successful Practices by AASA/Successful Practices Network. Greene County Schools’ students are receiving an excellent education due to the influence of Dr. Miller.”
Some of the other recent successes of the district include the following:
- GCS awarded a Digital Learning Initiative Showcase Grant and a CTE Expansion Grant.
- The graduation rate in GCS (94.5%) was the 5th best in NC for the 2nd year in a row and the dropout rate was less than 1%
- Greene County Middle School was named a STEM Model School of Distinction by the State Board of Education
- 91% of GCS teachers met or exceeded growth in 2016-17.
- 19% of teachers in GCS exceeded growth as compared to 13% statewide
- 80% of schools in GCS met or exceeded growth in 2016-17.
Listed below are some of the honors that Dr. Miller received in 2017-18 as indicated in his letter of nomination:
- Served as president of the NC Association of School Administrators (NCASA)
- Served as president-elect of the NC Alliance for School Leadership Development (NCASLD)
- Served as chair of the Low Wealth Consortium
- Awarded the Friday Medal by the Friday Institute for Educational Innovation
- Appointed to the NC Professional Educator Preparation and Standards Commission (PEPSC) and elected chair of this commission
- Appointed to the Governor’s Commission on Access to Sound Basic Education
- Appointed to the American Association of School Administrators’ (AASA) Governing Board
- Named Greene County Chamber of Commerce’s 2018 Citizen of the Year