By Stacy Mantle
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Roadrunner School Principal Susan Miller has been honored as the 2025 Administrator of the Year by the Arizona Association of School Psychologists, a prestigious statewide recognition celebrating leaders who elevate student support, strengthen schoolwide systems and champion the role of mental health professionals in education.

"I am really honored by the award,” Miller said. “It's a reflection on the team I work with; they're incredibly dedicated individuals. The work we do here is really important every day. It's nice for more people to be aware of what we do and to be recognized for what takes place on campus.”

Nominated by her colleagues, Miller has led a transformative shift at Roadrunner, reshaping the school’s Level D placement program, which serves more than 120 students with emotional disabilities and nearly 50 staff members.

Under her leadership, the program has evolved into a model of inclusive, student-centered education grounded in strong collaboration, meaningful intervention and a deep respect for the expertise of school psychologists.

A defining feature of her leadership is her commitment to integrating school psychologists into every layer of the school’s success. Principal Miller has expanded their responsibilities across numerous domains of the NASP Practice Model, including data-based decision making, collaborative problem solving, academic and behavioral supports and comprehensive mental and behavioral health services. This shift has strengthened systems, improved continuity of care and elevated the importance of psychological services within the school community.

Coworkers report that her leadership style is marked by empathy, visibility and active engagement. Principal Miller is known for being present in classrooms, hallways and common areas modeling the relational skills and trauma-informed practices she expects staff to use. She regularly coaches educators on supporting students with complex needs. This proactive approach has contributed to improved student outcomes and a significant decrease in challenging behaviors campus-wide.

Beyond Roadrunner School, Principal Miller serves as a mentor for emerging administrators, supports district-level professional development and leads community engagement efforts designed to celebrate and affirm every student’s identity and family structure. Her ability to foster trust, build strong relationships and inspire staff has made her a beloved and influential leader within PVSchools.

Stacy Mantle
Education Solutions Reporter

smantle@iniusa.org

Meet Stacy
Stacy Mantle is joining the team at Independent Newsmedia, Inc. as an Education Solutions journalist, thanks to a grant from the Arizona Community Collaborative. She has a long history in education that ranges from teaching junior high and middle school to developing curriculum and standards-based assessments.

Community: A longtime advocate for animal welfare, Stacy is deeply involved in rescue efforts and volunteers with several nonprofit organizations.

Random Fact: Once upon a time, she shared her home with a pet coyote and two wolf hybrids. The experiences were wild enough to become the subject of her first book!

Education: She holds a BA in English with a minor in Political Science, a Post-baccalaureate in Secondary Education, and an MBA with a emphasis on Marketing.

Hobbies: In her spare time, Stacy writes fast-paced urban fantasy novels, crafts small-batch artisan soap, and is always up for hiking or off-roading through the Arizona wilderness with her husband of 23 years.