Indian Prairie administrator to head East Aurora schools

A longtime administrator in Indian Prairie Unit District 204, Mike Popp, has been named superintendent of East Aurora School District 131.

Popp, 48, is expected to begin work April 1 in East Aurora. The District 131 school board voted unanimously Monday to hire him after another candidate withdrew to stay in his home district.

Popp most recently served as executive director for teaching and learning for District 204 students in kindergarten through 12th grade. Among his other duties in the district, he served as principal of Neuqua Valley High School from 2004 to 2008.

He will replace Jerome Roberts, who is retiring March 28 after serving as East Aurora superintendent since 2006.

Popp's career in education began in 1988 and in a written statement he said one of the highlights has been his work to reduce the achievement gap among students. "We have to help every child dream," he said in the statement, "and we use education to cultivate that dream."