A New Director of Academics Hits the Ground Running at the Catholic Schools Office

BRAINTREE, MA -- The Catholic Schools Office at the Archdiocese of Boston announced the hiring of Andrew Miller, PhD, as Director of Academics. A native of McLean, Virginia, Dr. Miller completed his bachelor’s and master’s degrees at the University of Notre Dame, and recently obtained his PhD in Curriculum and Instruction at Boston College.

Superintendent Kathy Mears said, “I am thrilled to welcome Dr. Miller to our team. His extensive experience in instructional leadership, much of which took place in the Archdiocese of Boston, is so important to the Catholic Schools Office and our community.”

Dr. Miller is a familiar face in the Archdiocese of Boston. While undergoing his doctorate, Dr. Miller acted as an instructional coach for the Urban Catholic Teacher Corps (UCTC). Dr. Miller was also on the board at Mission Grammar School in Roxbury and is a member of Boston Advocates for Catholic Education (BACE).

Thanks to his time spent teaching master’s level courses at Boston College and working as an instructional coach at UCTC, Dr. Miller has collaborated with many leaders and educators at schools in the Archdiocese, including St. Columbkille Partnership School and St. Joseph Preparatory High School in Brighton, St. John Paul II Catholic Academy in Dorchester, Cathedral High School in Boston, St. Peter’s in Cambridge and others.

Growing up, Dr. Miller was interested in education, though at the time, his interests were wide, ranging from the elementary level to post-graduate work. Upon finishing his undergraduate work, he joined Notre Dame’s Alliance for Catholic Education (ACE) in their “Service through Teaching” program. Since the program’s founding in 1993, ACE has strengthened K-12 schools through innovative practices in four realms integral to school transformation: forming talent, expanding access, enhancing school vitality, and conducting research on school improvement. Dr. Miller said, “While in ACE, I developed a passion for education in K-12 schools. I became focused on the question as to how teachers and leaders can work together and more effectively to enhance the quality of the profession.”

Megan Adzima, Director of Allocations and Partnerships at the Catholic Schools Foundation and co-chair of BACE, has worked closely with Dr. Miller during their time on the BACE leadership team. She said, “Andrew is an incredibly hard-working, smart and kind individual who has demonstrated his commitment to the mission and success of Catholic schools through his role on the BACE leadership team for numerous years.”

She continued, “In that role, he has shown his ability to work collaboratively and effectively with colleagues, school leaders, students, and community partners. His insights and efforts make our organization a strong community!"

Dr. Miller’s first project at the CSO is centered around articulating and aligning PreK-8 ELA and math content standards, as well as foundational dispositional and noncognitive standards, as a way to enhance the quality of curriculum and instruction in Archdiocesan schools. Dr. Miller said, “This standards work is designed to be a way for schools to build on their current strengths, to help them continue to promote their students’ educational growth and spiritual development. I very much look forward to working with teachers, instructional leaders, and parents throughout this process.” It is anticipated that these standards will begin their roll out to schools by Thanksgiving.

In addition, Dr. Miller will manage the Kindergarten Robotics Initiative and Math Shelf, both which began in school year 2016-2017. He will also work in collaboration with the Catholic Schools Foundation, which is a strong supporter of schools in the Archdiocese.

Superintendent Mears added, “Though we’re just reached the end of Dr. Miller’s second week at the CSO, he has already made great headway surrounding ELA and math content standards. I look forward to working with Andrew. I know he will receive a warm welcome from everyone in the Archdiocese.”

Dr. Miller is passionate about education and his new role in the Catholic Schools Office and the Archdiocese of Boston. He said, “I’m very excited to continue collaborating with all of the dedicated teachers and leaders working for our students in Archdiocesan schools.”

About Catholic Schools in the Archdiocese of Boston

Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Boston educate 38,000 students in 117 schools. The schools offer a high-quality, rigorous education that is rooted in Catholic faith and values for students age 2.9 through grade 12. www.csoboston.com