Anyone involved in the world of education knows that teaching students is anything but a one-size-fits-all proposition. Certainly, standard curriculums and teaching practices work for many students, but public schools must find ways to reach each and every student who walks through the doors.

So the world of alternative education plays a vital role in California schools. Educators who are successful in reaching students in these programs are very important to any school district. One of the best of these is Paul Mills, director of alternative and adult education for Irvine Unified School District, ACSA’s 2010 Continuation/Educational Options Administrator of the Year.

Mills has been an educator for more than three decades and an administrator since 1981. He has provided Irvine USD with much stability, having served in his current position since 1987. Mills said alternative education has simply felt like a good fit for him.

“In retrospect, my professional career has always had me engaging with the highest risk adolescents,” he said. “In my teaching and in my leadership opportunities, mentors and colleagues seemingly recognized, even before I did, my strong interest in helping good kids who stumbled badly or got in trouble.

“My biggest leap of faith, which ultimately tested me and proved my strong capacity to work with the most at-risk, was accepting the principal position at Orange County Department of Education’s Otto Fischer School, inside the maximum security Orange County Juvenile Hall.”

Going into this position, Mills wondered if he could work effectively with kids of incredibly diverse backgrounds and academic, social and behavioral needs. He knew he had to find a way to reach these students who were on the precipice, as well as the people who worked with them daily.

“Thus, the ride began, and it built upon a strong personal foundation of just how important and often cutting-edge alternative education is, succeeding with kids where others have failed because we are looking for the accommodation or modification that works for that one not the many,” Mills said.

To Mills, the key to alternative education is finding a way to reach students that both gives them a sense of belonging and a sense of personal enthusiasm as they feel a growing mastery of their lives.

Creating a positive attitude is part of that, and several years ago Irvine’s continuation high school, Creekside High, adopted a motto that has become Mills’ mantra: “Every day is a new day to succeed.”

“I use it a lot,” Mills said. “It truly applies to all of our alternative school programs. It speaks of a positive attitude, infers learning from the past but not repeating it, and most critically, seeks to build hope not despair among our students, our colleagues, and our greater community.”

Students and staff at Creekside High believe in this motto, and it has paid off in what Mills said is the biggest reward of his job: seeing students believing in themselves and succeeding, and teachers and counselors engaging in meaningful, purpose-centered work with students.

Also rewarding, Mills said, is helping parents and community members overcome stereotypes and realizing just how critically important and valuable educational options are for students, parents and the community.

Interestingly, Mills also works as a “permanent-intermittent” state park ranger during the busy seasons of spring, summer and fall. He said what began back in 1970 as a way to find summer employment during his teaching years has proved to be an excellent complement to his educational career.

In both jobs he has faced people in adverse circumstances, which has enhanced his abilities to work with at-risk youth and adults.

Throughout his career, ACSA has played a key role for Mills. He served as president of the Region 17 Continuation and Educational Options Council, also serving on the statewide council. He is currently Region 17’s vice president for legislative action.

“ACSA has been critical to my success as a professional,” Mills said. “If it were just the single emphasis and repetitive message that Leadership Matters, we’d all be better, but ACSA is much more. Networking with alternative educational administrators throughout California has created better schools and programs for at-risk kids and educational option kids and families.

“Participating in ACSA leadership opportunities creates incredible interaction that is broad and deep and just requires standing up and saying, ‘I want to join/participate/engage/lead.’ Speaking as one voice creates a synergy of power and credibility in the political process. As part of our school’s PLC process, we recently ‘re-defined’ synergy as simply: ‘We are better, stronger together.’ Better, stronger together is ACSA!”

Mills’ successful career can perhaps be best summed up by comments Irvine USD Superintendent Gwen Gross made in his nomination papers.

“Paul Mills has been a pillar of leadership, ingenuity, tenacity and problem solving, inspiring his colleagues and our student population to strive for excellence,” Gross wrote. “He’s done all of this with a leadership style that exudes composure and confidence, signaling that no challenge is too great to overcome.

‘Paul has the rare ability to inspire leadership in others, including his staff and the student population. Each has come to believe in Paul’s motto that ‘Every day is a new day to succeed.’”

Mills will be honored at the ACSA Leadership Summit, Nov. 4-6 in San Diego. Click here to register for the summit.