“(Steve) Always tries to bring the best out of everyone he's around and he exudes the love of education. He brings the smile and the sunshine to it,”  said colleague, Carly Minch, 4th grade teacher at Winola Elementary. “Steve is all encompassing in my opinion... and you can see his passion for education.”

That’s how colleagues describe Steve Miller, Sherrard School District’s Instructional Technology Coach and K-6 Curriculum Coordinator, who is the October Tiger Talent recipient.

🎵 Enjoy a video full of Steve Miller Band references and heartfelt commentary celebrating Sherrard’s very own, Steve Miller!

Teachers and staff say Miller is always looking for ways to help. “He’s helping our teachers out whenever he can,” said Matherville Principal Jeff Shillinger, who nominated Miller for the recognition. “He’s always looking for what tools he can give to make things easier for them—and to help our kids.”

He’s also approachable and patient. “Steve does everything, makes you feel like your problems are his problems,” said Jackie Kelly, JH teacher. “He just doesn’t make you feel silly when you have a tech problem.” Others highlighted his ability to connect with teachers. “He makes sure we understand our why behind whatever we’re doing in the classroom,” said Winola Elementary Kindergarten teacher Kim Hutchins.

“Steve is one of those quiet heroes that runs underneath—he’s dependable and just shows up, never looking for recognition,” said School Board President Rhys Fullerlove.

Students notice him too - the following are quotes from first grade students:
“I like Mr. Miller because he was nice and he ‘teached’d’ us things we didn’t know.”
“He came in our classroom one time and introduced hisself to us.”
“I like him because he did a lot of activities with us.”
Kids across the district called him “funny”, “kind”, “smart”, an “inspiration”, and “always caring about others.”

Miller’s leadership was especially critical during the pandemic. Fullerlove recalled how quickly he helped the district pivot to remote learning. “If it wasn’t for him, we couldn’t have flipped the model so quickly going into all the COVID protocol shutdowns and remote learning,” he said. Adding, “Steve was able to come up with a remote learning plan in one week. We did not lose a single day of learning because we were able to go to remote learning within one day.“

Part of that effort included installing WiFi routers outside buildings so students could access lessons from their cars. “One of the coolest things I saw when this was going on, a father pulled up to the back of the Sherrard Elementary school with a pickup truck, and he had two little desks in the back of his pickup truck, and his kids were out there doing homework in the back of the pickup truck.” 

Colleagues describe Miller as authentic, selfless, and empowering, savvy. “He’s a puzzle piece to this district,” said colleague Brenin Krack, IT tech. 

“He always tries to bring the best out of everyone. He exudes the love of education and brings the smile and sunshine to it,” said …..

Whether solving tech challenges, or designing systems that keep learning going, Miller’s influence is felt in every corner of Sherrard. This month, the district recognizes that dedication by naming Steve Miller its October Tiger Talent.

Superintendent Dr. Carl Johnson, who implemented the Tiger Talent award to honor staff who model positive character and impact students’ lives, praised Miller:

"He's not a my way or the highway guy," Dr. Johnson said Miller's a "consensus guy" who asks deep questions. "I think that when people walk into the room, they understand that he's going to listen to what they have to say." He also expects results and "give and take."

Dr. Johnson presented him with a golden metal apple with “Tiger Talent” inscribed to commemorate his dedication to Sherrard Schools.

 

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