Miller receives Teacher of the Year in Sutherland

In this photo, taken on Tuesday May 12, Phil Woodall of the Abiff Lodge presents Janet Miller with her recognition as South O'Brien Teacher of the Year at - where else? - school. Photo by Kris Faust. [Click to enlarge]

The Iowa Masonic Lodge encourages local lodges to honor an outstanding teacher in their communities. School staff members work with the lodge to nominate an outstanding teacher who exhibits the traits of conduct, courtesy, responsibility, honesty, cheerfulness, kindness, consideration for others, and involvement in their community. The Sutherland Masonic Lodge has presented this award annually, the teacher selected by the lodge may complete the Iowa Masonic Teacher of the Year application form if they so choose.

The Sutherland Abiff Lodge's selection as this year's Teacher of the Year in the South O'Brien School District is Janet Miller, a first grade teacher at the Primghar site. Miller is finishing up her 25th year of teaching. After teaching kindergarten in the Paullina and South O'Brien Districts for 20 years, she has been at the first grade level for the last five years.

Miller says she was "very surprised, but extremely honored to receive this award. When my principal, Lisa Weise, walked in to present me with the honor prior to the Awards Day assembly, I was brought to tears ... I want to thank the Sutherland Abiff Lodge for selecting me to receive this award."

Miller, the daughter of Glenn and the late Delores Cave of Cherokee, is a member of the Cherokee Washington High School Class of 1970, and earned her degree in elementary education from Wayne State College in Wayne, Nebraska. She is married to Paul Miller, the owner of Whiskey Creek Log Home, and the couple have three grown children - sons Travis, who is employed as a carpenter, and Tyler, who is a graphic designer in Omaha, Nebraska, and daughter Heather (Bremer), who is an athletic trainer in Sioux City. They also have two granddaughters, Annika and Jillian Bremer.

Janet Miller expresses her feelings about her chosen profession this way: " Each day I come to school expecting a miracle and usually I find one. Whether it be a student reading a word for the first time or working through a problem, miracles do happen."

And dedicated elementary school teachers like Janet Miller are a large part of why they do.