In the mood for adventure: School District No. 61’s Glenn Miller

By Jillian Mitchell

There are no typical or routine days in Victoria School District, with about 450 acres of property, nearly three million square feet of building space, and over 18,000 students and staff. And Glenn Miller likes it that way.

Add to that a name akin to an infamous Big Band legend and daily life becomes anything but commonplace.

“Having the name Glenn Miller is an interesting study,” he chuckles. “In my early years, lots of people commented or smiled and said, ‘I liked his music.’ Now it seems that most people who comment are either over 40 years old or took band in high school.”

For School District No. 61’s supervisor of operations, adventure lives in the unknown. Miller started with the district in 1981 as part of the operations department with the hopes of becoming a painter (he served as an automotive painter in the late '70s). In 1988, however, the fourth-class power engineer uncovered a real desire for mechanical systems. It was then that Miller knew facilities management was his true calling.

In 1989, with the enthusiastic support of his family, Miller moved to Power River and spent the next two years working for School District No. 47 while completing management courses at the Open College in Vancouver. By 1991, he accepted his first management post in Quesnel at School District No. 28.

“I recall heading to Quesnel alone in a truck and camper in early March 1991 with temperatures hovering in the -10

degree range, wondering what the heck [had] I done,” he says of the move. “It was this moment that changed and defined my work and family life forever. Following six years of really enjoyable life in the Cariboo, the family and I were ready to take on the next challenge.”

On that fateful March day, Miller learned the importance of adaptability. “I have learned to love change,” he says. “I know that might sound strange to some people, but there is no more spice in life than change. If you do not embrace change, then you will not learn to adapt to change and you will miss out on meeting the finest people and seeing the most beautiful scenery around. My advice is to make change happen in whatever form you can.”

In 1996 amalgamation discussions around the province materialized, and by early '97, Miller and his wife Brenda, son Neil and daughter Kate headed off for the East Kootenays where Miller joined School District No. 6 (Rocky Mountain), settling in Kimberley, B.C. With Steve Jackson at the helm, Miller and colleagues in the facilities department banned together to support 4,200 students in 26 schools over 270 kilometres in the first three-district amalgamation.

By 2000, Miller joined School District No. 19 (Revelstoke) as the director of facilities. “I thought I knew all about snow removal by now – until I hit the Rockies. My life growing up in Victoria never prepared me to shovel three feet of snow to get into the office in the morning and then shovel three feet of snow to get out of the office at the end of the day, all in the dark of night,” he says.

Three years later, Miller returned to School District No. 61 (Victoria) as the supervisor of operations. As he explains, "Returning to Victoria in 2004 was the voyage home for me and my family."

“I have been so very fortunate to meet and work with very talented and committed people who serve our students, staff and general public within the K-12 program throughout British Columbia,” Miller says. “Being a part of that is remarkable and very rewarding. I have a great deal of respect for the people who work and live in rural school districts. Their challenges are so unique that most of us living in the city can only imagine when watching TV updates or weather forecasts.”

Of course, there have been many constants in Miller's life – one he regards highly is his involvement in the Educational Facility Managers Association of B.C. (EFMA). Miller celebrated 10 enjoyable years on the EFMA executive before becoming president in 2003-2004.

“I enjoyed every moment,” he recalls of his time as association president. “Now as a past president, I hope that I can continue to help assist new colleagues joining the association and perhaps help in whatever capacity that the association needs.”

So, what does the future look like for Glenn Miller? One thing is for certain; he’s on the hunt for that next adventure.

“My only piece of advice is to keep a positive attitude and a sense of humour," he adds. "Nobody can take that away from you, not even your doctor.” b

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