Salt River Elementary School is excited to welcome two new leaders beginning the 2025-2026 school year!
Don Schopp was hired as the new principal (his last name is pronounced with a "shh" in front, a long "o" - and rhymes with rope). Mr. Schopp is Sicangu Lakota from the Rosebud Sioux Tribe in South Dakota and says he grew up mostly in Wyoming. He most recently served as principal of Sacaton Middle School. Mr. Schopp earned his master's degree in education leadership (including a Principal's Certificate) from Northern Arizona University. Mr. Schopp successfully completed the Buckeye Union High School District Superintendent's Aspiring Administrator's Academy, as well as the Arizona Department of Education Principal's Academy.
Prior to working at Sacaton Middle School, Mr. Schopp was the department chair for math at Youngker High School in Buckeye, Ariz., where he oversaw 22 math teachers. Youngker went from earning a "B" letter grade to earning an "A" letter grade in back-to-back years. He taught AP statistics and college algebra at Youngker.
Q & A with Mr. Schopp!
Tell us about your education background: I have two masters degrees. One is from GCU and one is from NAU. My Principal’s certificate is from NAU. I am currently about 40% of the way through my Ph.D. I am working through GCU to get that.
Where did you go to school, and what were your favorite things to learn about? I went to school (K-6) in Vermillion, South Dakota. I went to grades 7-12 in Laramie, Wyoming. My favorite subject from a very early age was math. I never envisioned myself being a math teacher. It’s not something I set out to do. It just happened.
How long have you lived in Arizona and what are your favorite things to do? I have lived in Arizona since 2014. I have lived in Glendale, Surprise, and Buckeye. My favorite thing about living in Arizona is hiking and attending sporting events.
Describe a few short-term and long-term goals you have for SRES.
Short term: Increase academic achievement. Specifically, we should have 60% or more of all students meet their growth goals on the NWEA. Also, I want to increase student attendance and continue growing how language and culture is immersed within all areas of our school.
Long term: Student achievement will continue to increase, but I want our school to be known as having one of, if not the best cultural K-6 program in the United States. To do that, we need culture and language on the class schedule for more than 40 minutes a week, which means it needs to be taught throughout our curriculum, not just in specific culture class. Our culture curriculum needs to be progressive, so students are not just learning repetitive concepts every year, like the same set of numbers, colors, and animals. Another important long-term goal, within three years, is to get students performing at grade level. We need to focus on filling those learning gaps and make students proficient or better in their grade.
Tell us about one of your favorite books: Where the Read Fern Grows. I recently revisited the book, which my 4th grade teacher read aloud to our class. It was the book that truly got me interested in reading. Plus, I am a huge dog lover.
Jacki Stroup is the new Assistant Principal at SRES! Ms. Stroup wrote this message for students and families:
I grew up in a small reservation town in South Dakota, where education was a big part of my life—my dad and grandpa were both school leaders, and they inspired me to follow in their footsteps. ☀️ I first moved to Arizona in 2008, and I absolutely love it here—even the hot summers! I enjoy spending time outdoors, soaking up the sunshine, and exploring all the beautiful places this state has to offer.
📚 I’ve always loved learning and helping others learn, too! I earned my bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Dakota State University. I completed my master’s degree in educational administration from Sinte Gleska University. I also have certifications in K-12 Educational Technology and Reading Recovery, which means I love using technology to help kids learn and helping students become strong readers!
🏀 Over the years, I’ve worn many hats in education:
- Assistant Principal
- Instructional Coach
- Classroom Teacher
- Afterschool Program Teacher
- Basketball Coach (girls and boys!)
- Volleyball Coach
Each role has helped me grow and reminded me how amazing students are when they’re supported and encouraged.🌵 As a proud member of the Lower Brule Sioux Tribe (Sicangu Lakota), I understand how important it is to honor and preserve Native culture and language. That’s one of the big reasons I wanted to be part of this school and Community. I’m excited to learn more about the O’odham and Piipaash cultures and to support our students in keeping their traditions and languages alive.
🎯Here are a few of the short-term goals I’m focused on as we grow together during this first year at Salt River Elementary School:
- Build strong relationships with students, families, and staff.
- Support educators in creating fun and meaningful learning experiences.
- Make sure every student feels safe, valued, and excited to come to school.
Looking ahead, here are a few of my long-term goals for our great school:
- Help every child discover how they learn best and overcome challenges.
- Strengthen our connections to culture, language, and Community.
- Create a school environment where the whole child—mind, body, and spirit—can thrive!
I believe every child can learn and succeed, and I’m here to help make that happen. I can’t wait to meet all of you and be part of this amazing Salt River community!
🌟 Let’s make this a fantastic year together! 🌟