In ten years of superintendency for Ohio County Schools, Dr. Kim Miller has seen her fair share of eventful moments in public education. She’s overseen a multi-million dollar bond project that resulted in major safety and structural upgrades in 14 unique schools. She navigated a school system through a global pandemic. She’s been in thousands of meetings finding ways to support staff, students, and families, and now, she’s been named the West Virginia Association of School Administrators (WVASA) “Superintendent of the Year.”
“I think the thing that makes Dr. Miller stand out is her approachability,” explains Karin Butyn, Ohio County Schools Public Relations Director, “She is truly willing to meet with, talk to, and find solutions with anyone invested in the school system. She walks into any given school, and students know her, staff talk to her, she’s truly invested in every piece of the system.”
Her approachability mixed with detailed knowledge make her the prime candidate to receive an honor of this magnitude. Prior to being superintendent, Miller spent another decade in roles that relate to leadership, working in both student services at the OCS Board of Education and being the principal at Woodsdale Elementary School when they earned the distinction of “Blue Ribbon School.” In 2002, Miller was awarded with arguably the most prestigious award any educator can be given: The Milken Award. In 2024, Miller was named President of the WVASA, one of the first from Ohio County and one of very few females to ever be nominated for the position.
“It’s been and continues to be an amazing career. Every day, I’m excited by the opportunity to do something good for kids,” explains Miller. “Collaborating with others in our state and working with our community drives solutions. We want to make sure that our kids have access to every opportunity we can offer. We have to have a school system that meets not only rigorous academic needs, but also evolving social and emotional needs.”
The Ohio County Schools system comprises 9 elementary schools, 4 middle schools, and 1 comprehensive high school. Nearly 5,000 students attend Ohio County Schools and around 800 employees work for the system, making it the second largest employer in Ohio County behind WVU Medicine. “This award is an honor, and I can’t begin to explain how humbled I am. I am so proud of our system. Our schools offer wide-ranging academic programs, engaging athletic opportunities, and countless extracurricular and arts-based activities,” explains Miller before adding, “Winning this award gives me the chance to show our state and country every amazing thing our staff and students accomplish on a daily basis, and so much of this ties back to our community. Their support for our students and public education drives our success. It’s a team effort, and I’m beyond fortunate to be surrounded by a truly phenomenal team.”
Miller will go on to compete in the national level of the American Association of School Administrators competition later this year.
