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Latrobe School District Superintendent Wins Statewide Award

00:00 AM - August 31, 2018

Natalie Miller, Latrobe School District Superintendent/Principal

Natalie Miller, Latrobe School District Superintendent/Principal

Natalie Miller is the superintendent/principal of Latrobe School District and was recently honored with the Association of California School Administrator’s (ACSA) 2018 Superintendent/Principal of the Year award. ACSA is the largest umbrella organization for school leaders in the United States, serving more than 17,000 California educators.

Superintendent Miller has served in her role since 2014, and under her leadership, Latrobe schools have been recognized with the California School Board Association’s Golden Bell and Gold Ribbon awards. She is known for setting the bar high, with clear expectations for excellence.  Dr. Ed Manansala, El Dorado County Superintendent of Schools praised Superintendent Miller as “an exceptional leader who has created a culture where students, families, and educators are valued. She has worked hard to create the conditions for all students to succeed at Latrobe schools.”  This tight-knit atmosphere is evident during Latrobe’s annual speech writing and public speaking event, where the entire community comes to celebrate the work of students and support the district.

Always drawn to leadership, Superintendent Miller recalls that her desire to become an administrator began early in her career. “When I first started teaching, I found myself relating to the administrative side of education. I have always enjoyed being part of the planning and problem-solving processes that can bring about positive changes. And, I have always enjoyed collaboration with my colleagues. Realizing that I could ‘lead the learning,’ to borrow a title from Paula Rutherford, moving into the school office as the principal seemed like the path that I was meant to take.”

She is deeply committed to collaboration and empowers her team members to prioritize student needs above all else. As the superintendent/principal, her hands are on every facet of school culture and the instructional program. She monitors student learning through daily classroom walk-throughs and data collection and analysis. Her style of servant leadership is known to have opened doors of communication and to build an inclusive atmosphere among staff, students and families.

Superintendent Miller credits her school community as the source of her inspiration. “I am constantly inspired by the people around me,” she said. “A school site or district is a very exciting and hard-working environment. Teachers extend themselves on a daily basis to create amazing educational opportunities for their students. Students learn, grow and become empowered young adults right before our eyes. Support staff members make sure everyone else can do their job in the best possible way. The children, young adults, staff members, parents and community members whom I work with now and have worked with in the past, truly inspire me each and every day. My goal is to always work harder, accomplish more and try to keep up with all of these very talented people.”

Latrobe School District, located near El Dorado Hills, faces a variety of unique challenges.  Through fires, water quality issues, and rattlesnakes, Superintendent Miller has always managed to keep everyone safe and the environment ideal for learning.

She participates as a board member of Schools for Sound Finance, serving as a voice for small rural, basic aid/community-funded districts. She is also an active ACSA member at both the state and local levels.

Team members and colleagues are quick to applaud Miller’s approach, and she acknowledges that sometimes, innovation can be difficult. “Risk can be the heart of improvement and improvement can be the soul of innovation,” Miller said. “At my school sites, I have worked hard to set a tone that opens the door to an innovative environment. I do that by connecting with staff members both professionally and personally and being willing to do any job on a campus. Any job! Once mutual respect and trust are a tangible and recognized element of the culture, real innovation has a chance to flourish. Shared leadership in an environment of trust and support is the innovation that helped create this success story.”

Congratulations Superintedent Miller! For more information about Latrobe School District and schools.

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