On Tuesday evening, the PCSC school board unanimously approved the promotion of Lincoln Junior High School assistant principal Craig Hopple to the position of principal at Menominee Elementary School.
Hopple has worked for the Plymouth Community School Corporation as the LJH assistant principal for the past seven years. However, the 2019-20 school year will begin his 29th year in education altogether. Hopple is from Marshall County and graduated from Culver Community High School. Before coming to Plymouth schools, he worked for Culver Community Schools for 21 years; serving first as a teacher and then as an assistant principal.
He received a Bachelor of Science in elementary education from Manchester University, a master's in elementary education from Purdue University, and his principal licensure from Indiana Wesleyan University. Hopple is a proud Leadership of Marshall County graduate, and for the past year, he has served on the Plymouth Redevelopment Commission board.
Hopple said he chose to work in education because he wanted to make a positive impact on student's lives and their education. Thus far he said his most significant accomplishments in education were when he was recognized as a top 10 teacher, and when he was named the Marshall County Coach of the decade by the local newspaper. Hopple said his most memorable moment is coloring his hair pink for a student reading incentive. He said he will truly miss the relationships that he built with the teachers, students, and staff at Lincoln, but he is ready to hit the ground running in his new position. "I am extremely excited to work with the staff and students at Menominee. I am wanting to establish a family atmosphere that focuses on teaching, learning, and celebrates the successes of all its members," said Hopple.
For the past 24 years, Craig has been married to Hillary Hopple. She is a physical education teacher at both Washington Discovery Academy and Jefferson Elementary Schools in Plymouth. They have three children, Hanna, who graduated from PHS in 2017, Hayden, who will be a junior at Plymouth High School, and Halle who will be a freshman at PHS this coming school year.
Hopple assumed his new position immediately after tonight's school board meeting.
