By Nicole Thomas
SSD Athletic Director Stan Miller was honored by the Greater Starkville Development Partnership for his lengthy and accomplished career with an induction into the Starkville Area Education Hall of Fame.
Dr. Miller has devoted more than half of his 40 year career in education to the Starkville School District, including 14 years as assistant principal and principal of Starkville High School from 1986 until 2000. He returned in 2009 as SSD’s athletic director.
As an assistant principal at Starkville High School, Dr. Miller earned national recognition for himself, Starkville High School, the Starkville School District, the greater Starkville community and the state of Mississippi as a recipient of the Milken Educator Award in 1996. Referred to as the “Oscars of Teaching” by Teacher magazine, the Milken Educator Award honors top educators around the country in their early-to-mid career for their already impressive achievements and more importantly, the promise of their future, with a $25,000 unrestricted cash award.
During Dr. Miller’s his tenure, SHS also produced two Mississippi Teachers of the Year, and SHS was also honored as a recipient of the Kennedy Center’s Creative Ticket Award which recognized schools that do an outstanding job of making the arts essential to the education of their students. Dr. Miller introduced the block schedule and extended day learning opportunities at SHS, and he was honored as Administrator of the Year for the Third Congressional District for his innovative efforts to help all students achieve their potential.
Dr. Miller was also instrumental in the passing of a $10 million school bond issue for the Starkville School District in 1996 which included funds for the construction of Yellow Jacket Stadium. When Dr. Miller returned to the Starkville School District in 2010, he immediately launched a campaign to involve and engage private businesses to financially support significant upgrades to SSD’s athletic facilities. With public and private support, Dr. Miller oversaw the multi-million dollar construction of a state of the art athletic complex and new turf field and track at Yellow Jacket Stadium.
Under Dr. Miller’s leadership, SSD has increased its sports offerings to include every sport sanctioned by the Mississippi High School Activities Association, and in 2012, SSD was awarded the All Sports Award from the MHSAA recognizing SSD as the best comprehensive sports program in its class in the state of Mississippi.
SSD is eternally to grateful to Dr. Miller for sharing his passion for public education with the Starkville community for two decades. He is a true champion for children and a proud Yellow Jacket.