Oxford Superintendent Of Schools Announces Imminent Departure

OXFORD, CT — Dr. Robert Miller, superintendent of Oxford Public Schools, has announced his resignation effective March 14, citing family reasons.

In a letter to the school community, Miller said his wife's recent diagnosis of kidney cancer prompted him to make "the incredibly difficult decision to resign from my position to prioritize my family during this critical time."

After two decades as an educator and administrator, Miller joined the Oxford school system as assistant superintendent in early 2020, and became superintendent the following year.

The complete text of his message to students, parents and staff follows:

February 5, 2025

Dear Oxford Public Schools Staff and Families,

With a heavy heart, I write to inform you of my decision to step down as Superintendent of Oxford Public Schools as of March 14. This decision comes after deep reflection and is rooted in personal circumstances that require my utmost attention and commitment.

When I joined the district as Assistant Superintendent in January 2020, I envisioned spending the
remainder of my career here. That vision was further solidified when I became Superintendent in
September 2021, hoping to foster long-term growth and success together. However, life presents
unexpected challenges that compel us to reevaluate our priorities and journey. For me, that moment came with my wife’s diagnosis of kidney cancer at the end of November. While I am filled with optimism that her oncologist and surgeon have successfully removed the tumor, the year ahead will involve frequent visits to New York for treatments aimed at preventing recurrence. This experience has profoundly reminded me of life’s preciousness and the importance of embracing time with loved ones.

Serving as Superintendent is a role that demands full-time dedication and then some. It is a 24/7
commitment that often makes stepping away for even a short period difficult. As such, I have made the incredibly difficult decision to resign from my position to prioritize my family during this critical time. Making this decision was far from easy. It is extremely difficult to step away from a district I have come to love, colleagues I deeply respect, and the vibrant classrooms where I witness our students thrive daily.

We have navigated immense challenges over the past five years and celebrated significant achievements together. We have shared bonds of trust, resilience, and camaraderie through experiences like educating students during the pandemic and recovering from the devastating flood this past August. Together, we have accomplished so much. We moved into a new middle school, renovated and reopened an elementary school, built a new central office, welcomed new leaders, and created positions that support the district’s forward momentum. We implemented a new K-5 reading program and celebrated three consecutive years of Great Oak Elementary School being recognized as a state school of distinction. Our culture and climate have steadily improved, evidenced by the highest staff retention rates in the past five years. Our students’ learning outcomes have consistently improved, a testament to your dedication, compassion, and commitment to excellence. None of this happened by chance—it resulted from our hard
work, aligned vision, and collective efforts.

As I look ahead, I have accepted a position that will provide the balance my family needs during this time. I will be stepping into a role for a nonprofit organization that supports children and adults with special needs across multiple states. This role brings me back to my roots in technology, my passion for empowering individuals with special needs, and my leadership experiences. It is a new and exciting challenge that involves building a department, systems, and structures from the ground up.

While I am excited about this next chapter, I am deeply saddened to leave Oxford. I hope you understand that this decision is one I make for my family and myself at this moment. The momentum we have built together will continue through the collective strength and vision we have established.

I intend to stay in touch with many of you, as I consider you colleagues and friends. I look forward to hearing about Oxford’s continued success on behalf of our children. One thing I am certain of is that Connecticut’s education community is small, and I know our paths will cross again.

Serving as your Superintendent has allowed me to develop bonds with leaders and staff who deserve a big thank you for their willingness to lead our district collaboratively and with the same vision I work with daily. A special thank you to our district and school administrators for their leadership, our union leaders for their collaborative approach to solving problems, and teachers and staff who always felt comfortable taking me up on my open-door, email, and phone philosophy. Finally, a very special thank you to the best co-leader I could ever have imagined leading a district with - Dr. Pogonelski. I could not have asked for a better partner to work with; thank you for being willing to share my vision and leadership with me.

I also want to thank our Oxford Board of Education for hiring me and supporting my collaborative and compassionate leadership vision. Over my 25 years in public education, no Board member has had as significant an impact on me professionally and personally as Deb Sherman. I owe Deb a debt of gratitude for the incredible impact she has had on me as a leader and as a person.

I finally want to thank our community's parents. This past year demonstrated what we can accomplish with dedicated parents serving as partners in our work. Our shared commitment and work together this year helped us thrive as a community, and I thank them for that partnership.

Thank you for allowing me to serve as your Superintendent and Assistant Superintendent for five years. Doing so will remain a professional highlight in my career. I will always look back on it with only the happiest memories and be filled with pride for all we accomplished together. I wish each of you a bright and promising future and remain forever proud of all we have accomplished together.

With deepest gratitude and respect,

Dr. Robert Miller