New Pine-Richland Superintendent Attends First Board Meeting, Says Welcome has been ‘Tremendous”

It’s only his first school board meeting as the new superintendent of the Pine-Richland School District, but Dr. Brian R. Miller said he already is feeling the love from the community, calling it nothing short of “tremendous.”

“The outpouring of welcome and appreciation and opportunity—it’s been incredibly exciting,” he said Monday.

After a months long search, Miller was hired in May to replace former Superintendent Dr. Mary Bucci, who resigned last December after the school board voted 5-3 not to renew her contract when it expired in 2013.

Prior to joining Pine-Richland, Miller was the assistant superintendent of K-12 education in the neighboring North Allegheny School District. He began his new role with Pine-Richland July 1.

Miller said he already has begun a series of meetings with large and small groups in the school district, including individual meetings with administrators and school board members.

To continue to get to know the Pine-Richland community better, Miller also plans to meet with focus groups of parents, students and teachers.

“It has been really a positive transition,” he said. “We’re beginning to identify some of those opportunities and focus points for the 2013-14 school year.”

Through the meetings, which will continue throughout the summer, Miller said he hopes to learn more about the Pine-Richland culture and community.

“It’s a chance to have an introduction and to learn a little bit about different stakeholders in the Pine-Richland community and then to talk about some of the reflections of the strengths and weaknesses of the district, and also some of those points of pride and the programs available here,” he said.

Miller added he is excited for students to return to their classes at Pine-Richland in the fall.  

“I’m looking forward to it very much,” he said.

What goals and opportunities do you think Miller should focus on in his first year at Pine-Richland? Tell us in the comment section below. 

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