It’s no longer accurate to call Neal Miller our “new superintendent.” He’s been on the job for a year, and is getting ready for his second Board of Education retreat, where he’ll share the results of the interviews he conducted when he first came to Cornwall.
As part of his entry plan, Mr. Miller spoke to 44 people. Some were connected to the schools; others were members of the community. He asked what issues they considered most important, and what they would most like to save.
Since taking this introductory step, the superintendent has had a chance to form his own opinions. There have been some pleasant surprises. He mentioned a few during a July 28 interview in his office.
The community gathering at the river on prom night was a new experience for him. He and his wife, Marcella, had stopped to admire that same spot on their first visit to Cornwall.
Until he arrived here, Mr. Miller didn’t think he’d be spending a few winter nights watching his youngest students perform on stage. “I had never seen elementary school plays before,” he admitted. “And I didn’t expect anything so elaborate. They provided some of my most entertaining moments.”
It was a good year for the Millers. They moved into a home in Highland Mills, and became acquainted with Orange County. “We’ve been exploring more and more every week,” Mr. Miller said. “I think it’s the best place we ever lived, and we both wished that we had raised our children here.”
The Miller kids are grown now. The youngest of them, Trenton, is a quarterback on the Mars Hill University Football team. During the fall, Mr. and Mrs. Miller would cheer for the Dragons on Friday nights, and then drive to North Carolina to watch their son play on Saturday.
If the traveling took a toll, it never showed — neither did the strain of moving into a new job. “I came into a strong district,” Mr. Miller recalled. “Tim Rehm [his predecessor], the Board of Education and the administrative team made the transition easy.”
He had time to visit schools and see the students’ progress with the three A’s — Academics, Arts and Athletics. He observed that he had never seen such a well-rounded district. And he noticed that people still call the building on Dragon Drive “the new high school.” So it’s possible that Mr. Miller may continue to be known as our new superintendent for a little bit longer.
