The Buzz

For most educators, teaching is a career. For Dr. Miriam Meyer, North Reading High School’s new principal, it is a calling: one that threads through generations of her family and continues to shape her life profoundly.

Raised in North Andover and now living in Bolton, Dr. Meyer grew up surrounded by education. Her father was a professor at Merrimack College, her mother taught German at Andover High, and even her sister-in-law works in education. “It’s always been part of who I am,” she said. After leaving North Andover High after junior year to attend Merrimack College, she went on to Villanova—where she fell even more in love with learning—before earning her master’s degree in New York where she completed her doctorate in psychology at the University of Rhode Island. She specialized in adolescence.

Before coming to NRHS, she served as a special education director and then as vice principal at Ayer-Shirley. Her earlier work as a psychologist, supporting at-risk youth and families, shaped her belief in the power of education to change lives. “When students face challenges, that’s where real growth happens,” she said. “It’s how they discover what they’re capable of.”

When she first walked through the doors of North Reading High this summer, she immediately felt comfortable. “As soon as I stepped through the door, I felt like I was home,” she recalls. As she got lost entering through the gym, students stepped in to help her find her way, a small moment that set the tone for what she describes as a warm, welcoming community.

Dr. Meyer’s first months have been busy ones, working closely with curriculum leaders and administrators to explore new semester-based courses and navigate changing state competency requirements. However, her first-year vision is simple: listen and learn. “I want to understand the culture here,” she said. “Listening and speaking with people, hearing their thoughts—that’s how I’ll learn what North Reading truly needs.”

For her, a well-rounded high school experience extends far beyond academics. “For a school to be meaningful, I hope you’ve learned a love for learning,” she said. “Feeling safe, supported, and inspired; That’s what makes it matter.” She loves watching students find joy in their passions, whether it’s in the classroom or on the field. A lifelong tennis player, she especially enjoys seeing that “light shine in [students’] eyes” when they push themselves because they love what they’re doing.

Outside of school, she’s just as multifaceted. A self-described “big sports mom,” she beams when talking about her two children: her son, a former rower at Boston University, and her daughter, who’s completing an accelerated MBA at Assumption University. Dr. Meyer loves to bake, cook, and spend time outdoors, especially walking along empty beaches. Though she travels less than she’d like, her favorite destinations include Germany, her family’s homeland, as well as Scotland. “I spent all my summers in Germany,” she said. “My favorite part has always been the food.”

The principal also has a soft spot for cotton candy (“pink or blue, not purple”) and loves the smell of coffee, which reminds her of early mornings in Germany.

When asked what message she’d share with the senior Class of 2026, she paused before saying, “Pursue something you love, something you really care about. Never lose your passion. Maintain your hobby, even if it’s not your job.” She added, “Oh, and enjoy your time here. Those four years go by faster than you think.”

If she weren’t in education, she admits, she’d likely return to psychology. But she’s exactly where she wants to be. “I love what I do,” she said. “I have every part of life here: I learn while seeing others learn. I work with a team. I work with kids, and teens are my favorite population. They have so many different ideas, and it’s fascinating to hear them.”

When asked to sum up her first year in one word, her answer came without hesitation: “Awesome.”