Senegal RPCV Mike Miller will oversee Salem-Keizer’s elementary schools
Director hired for primary schools
Mike Miller, Leslie’s principal, will oversee Salem-Keizer’s elementary schools.
TRACY LOEW
Statesman Journal
April 4, 2004
Leslie Middle School principal Mike Miller has been chosen as elementary education director for the Salem-Keizer School District.
Miller, 54, will take over in July for Cathy Mink, who retired last year but will continue working on contract through June.
“Just watching him work with the students and interact with them — it really illustrates his belief in each one of them as valuable individuals,” Superintendent Kay Baker said.
In his new position, Miller will supervise all 42 elementary school principals.
Miller was chosen from four candidates for the position after a nationwide search.
He has worked for the school district since 1979, as a teacher and principal at elementary and middle schools. In 1996, before taking the top job at Leslie, Miller took a leave of absence to teach for a year in Bogota, Colombia. He also served in the U.S. Peace Corps in Senegal, West Africa.
Miller said the position was attractive to him because his background is in elementary and bilingual education. Still, he said he will miss the daily interaction with his students.
“I’m hoping to make it a priority to be out in the schools and be among kids. That is the part I’m going to miss and the part I will enjoy most,” he said.
Miller will report to Glenn Gelbrich, the newly hired assistant superintendent for academic achievement. He will earn $101,177, about $3,900 more than Mink’s ending salary.
District officials will immediately begin recruiting for a new principal for Leslie. They also are seeking a new principal for Parrish Middle School. Parrish principal Mike Johnson has accepted a job as principal of Arts & Communication Magnet Academy in the Beaverton School District.
Tracy Loew can be reached at (503) 399-6779.
