Miller, 47, replaces Charlotte Basinger, who retired in June after serving as principal for two years, and said she's already falling in love with the Los Gatos school.

"This is such a pretty campus, with all the trees," said Miller on a walk across the grounds. "It reminds me of my childhood."

Miller, who lives in Campbell, comes to Blossom Hill with 25 years of experience in education, 20 of which were teaching in the classroom, grades 1­4. Most recently, she worked in the Union School District on curriculum and instruction.

"I have a passion for learning," Miller said. "I still believe our children are our greatest asset and resource, and they need to be our first priority."

Miller said she's excited to join a team on which parents, teachers and staff have a joint partnership in serving students, with a committed approach and positive attitude. Miller's first tasks include recognizing all of the students by name and taking into account the culture of the school.

Los Gatos Union School District Assistant Superintendent of Instruction and Personnel Suzanne Boxer-Gassman said Miller was a unanimous choice by the panel that hired her.

"Karen just brings such a deep awareness of curriculum in all of the areas, and has some experience in her past district related to standards-based instruction that I think is a very helpful addition to our team," Boxer-Gassman said. "She also has a lot of experience as a teacher."

Miller, in her first principal role, said she wants to continue the school's achievements with high test scores, a common vision and providing a safe and nurturing environment for learning.

"I'm walking into the ideal school, and I'm hoping I can make a difference," Miller said.

Longevity in the principal spot is also one of Miller's top priorities, and it's a concern she's heard about from parents and teachers. The school year starts out with an enrollment of about 550 students and two new teachers.

Carol Serafin, the Union School District's director of instructional services and Miller's former supervisor, said Miller has been leading up to the principal role for a number of years.

"She knows what it takes to be successful in the classroom," Serafin said. "She's had very high standards, and she's not afraid to work to achieve her goals."

Serafin said Miller has the ability to listen and roll up her sleeves and delve into issues headfirst.

"She's extremely outgoing, has a very friendly attitude, is very upbeat and has a can-do attitude," Serafin said. "I don't think the word 'can't' is in her vocabulary. She's very positive."

And she plans to stick around long enough to pass along that positive attitude to the Blossom Hill Elementary School community.