West Aurora High School Teacher Lands Administrative Role

AURORA, IL — A new English language arts department administrator overseeing grades 6-8 has been appointed at West Aurora School District 129.

The Board of Education approved Matthew Thorpe for the role at its regular meeting June 2.

Thorpe will transition into the role after serving for two years as a multilingual English teacher at West Aurora High School, where he designed and taught standards-based instruction tailored to language learners.

"I am honored and grateful for the opportunity to serve West Aurora School District 129 in this new role," Thorpe said in a statement. "I am excited to collaborate with all of our amazing educators to help build a strong, engaging, and inclusive language arts program for all students."

Before joining West Aurora School District 129, Thorpe taught general education English at Hollister High School in California. During his time there, he received multiple staff honors, including two Baler Strong Awards and a Teacher of the Month distinction.

Thorpe has also worked as a substitute teacher and in the performing arts, which he has used to enhance student learning and creativity in the classroom, officials said.

The educator holds a Bachelor of Arts in drama from the University of California, Irvine, and maintains both Illinois and California teaching credentials.