Topic: Pursuit of Excellence: Stories of an “Inside – Out” Journey of Continuous Improvement

Drs. Miller and Justus will share concrete, practical examples of how the pursuit of excellence began by addressing practical needs identified in the district. What is our approach to hiring a principal? How do we support induction and onboarding for new teachers? How do we address consistency in curriculum across grade levels and/or improve our programs? How does the senior leadership team operate? What role does strategy play in the operations of the district? Presenters will describe "how" key processes were developed and the eventual role of "results and measures" to drive continuous improvement. Ideas and examples shared can be applied or adapted to any sector or organization. 

Dr. Brian Miller, has served as Superintendent of Pine-Richland School District in Pittsburgh since 2013. In his 26th year in education, he is responsible for leading a district with six schools, 523 staff, 4,600 students, and an annual budget of $97M. Pine-Richland is recognized as a high performing school district in Pennsylvania across all indicators. Dr. Miller is in his tenth year as a senior examiner with the national Baldrige program with five years as a team lead and has participated in multiple site visits.

Dr. Kristen Justus is in her 5th year as Assistant Superintendent for Elementary Education and Curriculum at Pine-Richland School District. Now in her 18th year in education, she has held positions as principal, assistant principal, and German teacher. Dr. Justus has served as an examiner regionally for the Mid-Atlantic Alliance for Performance Excellence (MAAPE) and at the national level. She also participated in a site visit for MAAPE.