Jenna Miller is a fairly new teacher at Bellwood-Antis who is known for her calm and gentle demeanor.

And it’s no wonder because one of her favorite things to do in her free time is yoga.

“I’m a total yoga nerd, and I teach Simply Power Yoga in Altoona,” Miller says.

Mrs. Miller is a special education teacher at the high school and has taught at B-A for three years. She graduated from Hollidaysburg in 2005 and then later graduated from St. Francis University in 2009 before starting a full-time teaching position at Penn Cambria.

Years later, she applied to Bellwood cause it’s closer to home.

Miller is happily married and has two boys: Ranger, who is 7, and Crash, who is 5. Her family is her top priority when not teaching.

“I spend most of my (free) time with my family playing, drawing, cooking, and watching TV. I love to watch Ranger play soccer and Crash do gymnastics. In the summer, we spend most of our weekends camping,” Miller says.

Miller teaches grades nine through twelve, and she says her favorite thing about teaching is “supporting students as they learn what their strengths are and how to use them in meaningful ways.”

Miller first developed an interest in teaching as a teenager, and she’s the definition of taking advantage of high school opportunities.

“During my senior year in high school, I got out on co-op to volunteer in a kindergarten classroom, and I fell in love with teaching,” Miller says.

That experience, coupled with a number of different teaching assignments in college and beyond, have made Mrs. Miller a very versatile educator.

“I have been so lucky to get the opportunity to teach many grades many grades including first grade (regular ed), middle school (special education), and high school (special education) for a total of 16 years,” she said.

However, her peers feel her biggest strength is the care she has for the students she works with.

“Mrs. Miller is a great teacher,” said Mr. Brandon Stewart, who also teaches in the special education department. “She always follows through to make sure students have what they need to be successful. I always appreciate the calm, Zen-like atmosphere of her classroom.”