TOWER — There will be a new face in the principal’s office at Tower-Soudan Elementary this year. Crystal Poppler is moving into the role formerly held by John Jirik, who is now the assistant principal and activities director at North Woods.
Poppler has over 20 years of experience in education, starting out as an elementary teacher. She taught fifth grade at Northeast Range starting in 2014 for eight years, before transitioning into school leadership. She was dean of students at Northland Learning Center for a year, and then spent two years at North Woods as assistant principal and athletic/activities director.
“I am so excited to see all the little faces coming to the open house tonight,” she said on Tuesday. Poppler said students will be seeing only a few new faces at the school, since all the regular classroom teachers are returning. There will be a new Title 1 teacher.
A new program this year will be led by Sarah Hansen, who is also the ECFE Parent Educator. Hansen will be the school’s outdoor educator, a role she is also holding at Northeast Range.
“This is a new program,” Poppler said. “This will bring more outdoor activities for our students.”
Hansen will work with classroom teachers to get our kids out into the newly established school forest on a more regular basis.
“It is such a beautiful location up there,” Poppler said.
Poppler is already acquainted with most of the school staff from her time at the neighboring schools.
“It’s fun to come somewhere with so many familiar faces,” she said. “I know they are all great educators. I am excited to be part of the team here.”
Poppler was born and raised in Ely and lives there with her husband and four children. Her oldest two have “flown the coop,” but she still has two high schoolers, including one who will be a senior at Ely Memorial this year. She is looking forward to working closer to home than the last two years when she was at North Woods.
Poppler said she intends to continue to support the elementary sports programming added the last few years. Flag football and volleyball will be offered this fall through community education, and basketball will get underway in the winter.
Poppler is a dancer and teaches and performs at the Reflections Dance Company in Ely.
“I hope to bring dance and theater here too,” she said. “I believe the arts help students grow in confidence, creativity, and collaboration.”
She has directed youth theater, performed in community theater, and played in the city band.
Poppler did her undergraduate degree at Bemidji State, followed by a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction from St. Mary’s University. She then completed her educational leadership certification through St. Mary’s.