Connecticut Teacher of the Year 2025

Julia Miller, Metropolitan Business Academy, New Haven

Julia Miller is a proud New Haven Public Schools teacher, parent and alumni. Entering her 18th year in the classroom, Julia has been teaching at Metropolitan Business Academy for the last decade. Julia is a Social Studies teacher committed to the practices of antiracist education and project-based learning. Julia’s goal for her students is for them to become informed and active community members who feel empowered to make change.

Julia also teaches in the Academy of Law, Leadership & Political Science. She co-designed and co-teaches an innovative new course entitled Youth Justice in Practice (YJP). Grounded in the theories of restorative and transformative justice, YJP is the senior capstone class in the law pathway. As part of YJP, students run the Metro Youth Justice Panel, a student-led restorative justice initiative in the school that aims to repair harm, provide accountability, and support students who make mistakes in the building.

Julia also helped launch another new initiative in her district: a “Grow Your Own” model to nurture the next generation of NHPS teachers. Over the last two years, Julia has supported the development of a new Education and Leadership Pathway.