ABERDEEN, S.D. – Aberdeen Public School District’s Janice Miller has made an impact on the lives of hundreds of students in the community throughout the past three decades.
Miller is in her sixth year working as an educational assistant at Aberdeen Central High School—and before that, she ran a day care for 24 years.
“It’s very rewarding working with children,” Miller said.
Her past childcare experience has helped her be able to pick up on students’ different needs and personalities. She has even gotten to work with some of her former day care kids at Central, who will often ask her, “Should I call you Janice or Mrs. Miller?”
But whether or not they were her day care kids, Miller has found that students are often drawn to her and will chat with her.
“I feel like I'm their grandma with the gray hair,” she said with a smile.
For all students, Miller gets to be a supportive person who listens and truly cares.
“It really is a good job,” she said.
The best part: All her co-workers at CHS.
“I have worked with some wonderful teachers and other educational assistants,” Miller said. “I really can say I love coming to work every day. And I love working with the kids.”
When she first started, Miller wondered what her late husband would think of her new job. Mike Miller was a longtime Aberdeen School Board member and is the namesake of Mike Miller Elementary School. Since his passing, any time Janice sees a penny, she knows it’s a sign from Mike—and when she walked into Central on her first day of work, she immediately found a penny on the floor.
Six years later, she loves the job and is always anxious to get back to school in the fall.
Sept. 27 is National Teaching Assistants’ Day, which recognizes the hard work of dedicated educational assistants like Miller. For others considering working as an EA, Miller’s advice is that every day is a fresh start—and even on tough days, you can make an impact on a student’s life.
“Maybe sometimes that child just needs a smile because they're not getting it anywhere else, or they need a ‘hello,’” she said. “And you might be the one that gives them that.”
To learn about becoming an educational assistant for the Aberdeen Public School District, visit Careers at Aberdeen Public Schools.
About the Aberdeen Public School District
The Aberdeen Public School District provides a comprehensive educational program to approximately 4,200 students in grades K-12, with a mission of empowering all students to succeed in a changing world. Our students receive the knowledge and skills necessary to reach their potential in a global community through high expectations of academic achievement; diverse educational opportunities; and community involvement in a safe, supportive environment. Learn more at aberdeen.k12.sd.us.