Avonworth Elementary School will have an assistant principal beginning in January, and one of the district's own will be taking the new position.

The school board voted unanimously at its Dec. 7 meeting to hire Scott Miller, a sixth grade math teacher at Avonworth.

Miller is in his fifth year as a teacher at Avonworth after graduating from Robert Morris University in 2005 with a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and a master’s degree in instructional leadership. He expects to complete the principal certification program at Gannon University this spring.

He was one of 75 applicants who were screened by principal Dr. Darlene Tartaglione and director of curriculum Shannon Varley.

Miller said that he enjoys and excels in organizational planning and development, which is something he says he already gets to do in the classroom. He notes, however, that in the role of assistant principal those skills are used on a much larger scale, which is his reason for taking the position.

"This is the next challenge," Miller said.

He said he also hopes to develop new ways to get parents more involved.

Miller will be paid $62,000 per year.

Board members Marybeth Sommers, Eric Templin, Peter McKay and Jeff Schmid were absent.