Strength in Team Staff Spotlight: Barb Miller, Custodial Services

This year, we will be highlighting the people who contribute to the strength of our team by making our schools and our district such a special place for students. 

 

Barb Miller, custodian, Upper Arlington High School 

How do you contribute to your school/department and the school district as a whole? I try to help out where needed. If someone asks or needs help with something, I try to help them out. I believe if someone needs help, especially if they ask nicely, we should pitch in and help them out. It is always nice to work together to get a job done.

What inspires you / motivates you in your role? I enjoy helping others and working with others and seeing the accomplishments the students achieve. I started out in food service at Burbank and subbed for SACC for extra hours. I enjoy seeing the students I cooked for and watched after school grow up now at the high school level and see how they have matured into young adults — how they are making and reaching the goals they made when in elementary school and to know you were a contributing factor towards helping them achieve the goals they set and worked toward.

What is a memorable moment, or your proudest moment, in your 29 years with UA Schools?  I enjoy seeing the progress the students make. One that stands out to me is seeing one of the special education students at Burbank walk. They were in a wheelchair when they started at BECS, and they worked hard and used braces and crutches to walk. When I saw them in elementary school, they were able to walk without the help of any device.  That made me happy and proud of the student.

I have had students who said they wanted to be a swimmer setting school records and some who wanted to be actors in the school plays, and you remember them talking about it in elementary school. I have had students I watched at SACC and cooked for at BECS who are now teachers here in UA, which is rewarding to see the success they have had.

What brings you joy outside of work? I enjoy family and OSU football. I enjoy watching OSU games and cheering on the Buckeyes. My son is a Mason and belongs to the Shrine. I am involved in helping out the Masons, and I am a member of Eastern Star and Social Order of Beauceant, which are women's affiliates of the Masons. I like to volunteer, helping all of these organizations and helping with fundraisers. I have made a lot of close friends through these groups and look forward to spending more time and being more active with them when I retire in a couple of years.

What Executive Director of Operations Mike Abbott has to say about Barb: Barb Miller is a beloved fixture in the high school, where she proudly serves as a second shift custodian.  Her warm smile and genuine concern for others shine through in every interaction. Barb is well-respected by her peers and is always happy to share her years of experience with her coworkers, or lend a helping hand whenever needed.