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By MaryHelen Swanson
 Maybe they figured it was easy extra credit, but it didn’t seem that way.
Just minutes before Scott Miller’s students eagerly lined up to share a comment or two about him, this skilled Teacher of the Year had them dancing West Side Story style on the Main Street School playground.
Scott Miller. Photos by MaryHelen Swanson.
“He’s a funny guy,” said Amanda Hodges, while taking a break from the routine.
“Miller’s a good teacher, probably my favorite,” added Jessica Kepner.
On this bright sunny day, with enough of a chill still hanging in the air that it felt good to wear a sweater, the students of the media arts class at the ALC were being video taped by Miller as they practiced scenes from the music video they are producing - the students’ choice - “Thriller.”
Resurrecting a Michael Jackson video on a North Branch playground required Miller to climb to the top of the jungle gym, or whatever that slide combination is called these days.
It required Miller to go to the other side of the fence, and back. With the camcorder constantly at his eye, Miller continued to tape through a “fight” scene and dancing, in unison, as taught to the kids by ALC math teacher Abby Bateman.
Around the corner of Main Street School the kids disappeared, with Miller seated on the ground, camera at the eye.
And then back to the courtyard to redo the dance scenes.
“Hey, we get an A for this, right?” came a shout from the group, as boys and girls flailed arms and kicked up their feet.
From behind the camera, Miller returned, “Couldn’t ask for anything better.”
He’s the teacher of the year, remember.
And then he added, in a tone of praise, “Everybody’s done exactly what I’ve asked.”
And there were smiles on that playground.
Miller began to concentrate on the back row, “now I need individual faces,” he said.
“Don’t look like you’re having fun,” Bateman shouted out.
“But we are,” one student replied. And, it appeared, they were.
“The kids really like this class,” Bateman said as this reporter followed the action on the playground.
In talking about her peer, Scott Miller, and his recent selection as Teacher of the Year, Bateman concurred that it is his innovative ideas that helped earn him the title.
He does a lot for the kids, she went on, puts a lot of effort into making it worthwhile for the students.
He engages the students, students who may not otherwise find an interest in school.
 The words of the students can probably say it all:
“He’s really great. He’s taught me a lot, probably nothing like any teacher I’ve had before. He always gets along with you, always helps us ... inspiring,” were Paul Carlson’s words.
ALC English teacher Scott Miller wields the video camera as his students go through the scenes from their class-produced production of “Thriller.”
Louie Platt said, “probably the coolest teacher in the district.”
And someone quickly added, “not probably, is the coolest.”
Shawn Thompson said, “Miller has taught me a lot this year, changed my life ... in a good way.”
And Kyle Payne noted that in the past three years, “he’s the best teacher I’ve had, helps you with any troubles. You just have to raise your hand.”
“And don’t interrupt!” another voice reminded him.
“And don’t interrupt,” agreed Payne.
Patiently, the kids waited their turn to have a say about this teacher who could get them to plummet down a kid’s slide and jump over a chain link fence as part of class work.
“Miller having the title of Teacher of the Year can’t even sum up what he is,” announced Kyle Nordlum.
 Simply put, Sara Heyn noted, Miller is a pretty bomb teacher, yea bomb.”
We’re assuming that’s good.
Scott Miller, left, shared his musical talents at the Detention Debut this year, as he has for about nine years. Chas Bettendorf offered critique of Miller’s song in this comical skit. Miller was also seen out with the students picking up leaves during the district’s first-ever Community Service Day last Friday. Photo by MaryHelen Swanson.
“He’s pretty much the coolest and funnest and he deserves Teacher of the Year,” said Josh Larson Lind, summing all their comments up.
So who is this Scott Miller that’s all the rave among the kids on the playground?
He’s one of two left from the original staff at the Dist. 138 ALC program. He started in 1992.
Some days are good, he’ll say, some a little more frustrating.
Coming from a background of carpenters, life seemed to be heading in the direction of hammers and saws that generations of Miller men took.
A 1981 graduate of Forest Lake High School, Miller went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in English. And he continued to build houses during college.
One day he took a good look at the carpenters who preceded him and decided he did not want to go deaf and be limping around. It’s a hazard of the trade, he said. So he said, “I’ve got to get out of this.”
At Augsburg College he earned a degree in secondary teaching.
And then, with a young wife (his high school sweetheart) and no obligations, $400 and a U-Haul full of possessions, the two headed off to Texas where the 24-year-old Miller would teach at-risk students for the first time.
Coming from less complicated life in Scandia, Minn., his eyes were opened not long into the year.
That profound moment came shortly before the Christmas break that fall. He saw a boy going around collecting food - apples, tater tots, etc. This isn’t good, he thought and he wondered what was up. But he came to learn that the boy was collecting food to eat during the 10-14 days of vacation. There would be no food in the house; the boy’s folks were more interested in beer. The experience left it’s mark on him.
Some students have really sad backgrounds he said, there’s a story in every kid.
Miller appreciates when his former students come back for a visit. In particular, he talked about one boy whose family had major issues and the young man spent his time “smoking on the shores of the Sunrise.” Until one day the boy decided he didn’t want to do that any more. Miller hired him to help build a garage that summer and then transported the young man to work in Rush City. This went on all summer.
After getting things straightened out, the boy disappeared. But every three or four years he’d return. The first time with a fiance, the second to talk about a promotion. The third, they had a house, and the next visit the young man came bearing a photo of an ultra sound, finally, he came with a child.
The satisfaction is there, he plans to continue teaching in the ALC program.
Miller and his wife live in Hinckley where they raise and have raced sled dogs. If you see the big yellow one-ton truck, it’s him.
The teacher of the year is also a published author, and hopes to get back into it this summer. He thinks he’s ready for the rejection letters, again, (and he laughs here) and is looking for a good publicist.
He said he was sort of surprised he was selected this year by his peers, he’d been nominated before. (You can read the letter of nomination in the sidebar.)
If the teachers don’t convince you that Miller was the right choice in 2009, have a chat with his students.
And be sure to say congrats to Scott Miller when you see him around the school or filming a video on the playground. That’s where he gets the kids motivated to perform like they were making a Broadway musical.
Nomination letter
“Teachers who teach for a profession have high expectations to meet for themselves and their students. They hold our young children’s minds in their hands and mold them like clay. Such is the case with Scott Miller. A great teacher has many faces. Scott is no different. He instills in us, as co-workers and his students, the values of knowledge, hopes, dreams, perseverance, and a caring, optimistic attitude!
I have had the privilege of having Scott come to my fifth grade classroom to give a mini lesson on “dog sledding” and “how to be an author.” Since Scott is a published author, he gives the students an authentic account of the process it takes to write a story worthy of publishing. The students adore him from the second he comes in and starts talking to them. He engages the students in the conversation (lesson) and he asks the “why” questions to encourage the learners to predict what will happen next. He is genuine with the students and understands their challenges, but still holds them accountable for their actions.
Scott holds so many characteristics that make a great teacher, and this is why he is a superb candidate for the North Branch School District Teacher of the Year!”
Juli Summer
Kindergarten-Primary School
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