Congratulations to Joaquin Miller Elementary School as it celebrated its 100th birthday on Friday, September 22, 2023, in Miller Park! The event was well attended not only by current but former Miller students, families, teachers, and support staff. One individual in attendance was a former Miller teacher from 1976-1979, Mr. Peter McBride. He drove all the way from Oceanside to be at the event and shared what it was like teaching in the 1970s. Former students who attended the school in the 1950s and 1960s were also present and had many stories to share about their time at Miller.
The celebration included a welcome from the current principal, Judy Hession, a performance from the Miller chorus, which is made up of students in Grades 4 and 5, food trucks, music, games, a teacher auction, merchandise to purchase, lots of photos from the past, and the singing of happy birthday and cake. Parents and students also waited patiently to pose and take pictures with the Miller jaguar, the school mascot.
This event would not have been possible without the many volunteers. A special thank you to Miller Kindergarten teacher Debbie Winstein and her committee and the Miller PTA for their continued support.
The school is also very grateful for the Team Jaguar Fundraising Committee and the many generous donors, including John Ossiff and Nancy Smith and the Trimberger Family Foundation, who helped to make it possible to renovate and update our century-old auditorium.
Miller’s 100th celebration was a night to reconnect with former students, families, and staff members, make new friends, and share stories and memories about Miller.
We can’t wait to see what the next 100 years will bring to Miller!
