John Miller
Assistant Principal (former)
Meadowbrook Middle School
John Miller, who was recently promoted to principal at Meadowbrook Middle, has worked at OCPS for nearly six years. The 2022-23 OCPS Assistant Principal of the Year enjoys inspiring people to serve in a capacity that enables them to reach their full potential and believes that service to others is what provides his work with purpose.
In Miller’s school-leadership role, he has an opportunity to serve parents, students and other stakeholders through education. He is also known on campus for his ability to develop meaningful relationships with even the most challenging students.
As a child, he thrived despite violence and incarceration in his family. He spent many formative years in foster care. Those experiences help him quickly identify early warning indicators for at-risk students.
“John wants every student to succeed,” said former Meadowbrook Middle Principal David Hardrick. “He knows what it is like to face academic, social and emotional challenges in the home environment. Conquering those challenges has made him a force for youth and motivates him to serve the needs of Meadowbrook Middle students with passion, integrity and a spirit of excellence.”
After high school, Miller attended the University of South Florida and received a Bachelor of Arts in criminology and later earned a Master of Education in administration and supervision from National Louis University in Chicago.
He has a proven record of success with OCPS, including overseeing learning growth rate gains of greater than 50% in Civics, English Language Arts and Math for English Language Learners.
A collaborator with faculty, staff, parents, students and the community, Miller is described as “relentless” and “proactive.” With a passion for supporting Title I schools and at-risk students during the pandemic, he went into the community to deliver digital devices and Wi-Fi hot spots to students and resources to families.
Miller’s philosophy is: “If I don’t, then who?” He uses his own background and passion for young people to give students a sense of agency and control of their own destiny, no matter their life circumstances.