Glenbard E. principal moving to Neuqua Valley

Neuqua Valley High School may have nearly 4,500 students, but Robert McBride hopes to provide a personalized environment when he take the reins next year.

Indian Prairie Unit District 204 has chosen McBride, currently the principal of Glenbard East High School in Lombard, as Neuqua's new principal.

He'll replace Michael Popp, who has been named director of school improvement and planning for the district.

"Bob is a great choice for us as he is an experienced administrator who has orchestrated excellent achievement gains as principal at Glenbard East," superintendent Stephen Daeschner said in a press release.

McBride, 41, has been principal of Glenbard East since 2005, preceded by two years as assistant principal. He also spent 13 years at Oak Park-River Forest High School.

He said Neuqua's dynamism drew him to the school.

"It's a very rare opportunity to have such a new school early in its culture and its growth that has accomplished so much already. The opportunity to be a leader of that kind of dynamic school was an opportunity I really couldn't ignore," he said.

His own education includes a degree in English language and literature from Northwestern University and a graduate degree in teaching and curriculum from Harvard Graduate School of Education. He is working on his doctorate in education from Loyola University of Chicago.

McBride said his time at Glenbard has given him insight as to how to make a large school feel small and personalized, which he plans to bring to Neuqua. He also believes he can empower teachers and help them create a safe learning environment.

The district received more than 150 applications for open principal positions at Neuqua and Waubonsie Valley high schools, according to Kevin Myers, director of secondary education.

McBride met with the Neuqua staff on Thursday and Myers said he already impressed some of his future colleagues.

"One thing we heard coming back was his ability to communicate with the faculty and already let them understand who he is, opening up and being personable," Myers said. "Seeing what the needs are, the focus points for the future when he takes over the reins of Neuqua."

When he begins his new post on July 1 he will be school's third principal since it opened in 1997.

While he's excited for the new opportunities that Neuqua holds, McBride said he truly loves Glenbard East as well and is leaving a part of his heart with its students, parents and faculty.

"I'm very proud of Glenbard East," McBride said. "Glenbard East is a fantastic school in DuPage. It will be hard to transition but I'm very excited about the opportunity and responsibility that District 204 has empowered me with."

McBride is one of a handful of administrators scheduled for approval at Monday's school board meeting along with Elizabeth Pohlmann as assistant principal of Crone Middle School, Kristen Ross as principal of Gombert Elementary School, Moira Arzich as principal of Fry Elementary School, Brian LeCrone as principal of Brookdale Elementary School and Claudette Walton as assistant principal/HR director of Fry Elementary School.