The CHIEF May 2026

TEACHER INTERVIEW: MS. MCELROY BY LAILA BEKIROVSKI

MANY OF YOU HAVE PROBABLY SEEN A NEW FACE IN THE HALLWAYS OR TEACHING IN DR. SOARES’ CLASSROOM. THIS SEMESTER, MS. MCELROY SPENT HER STUDENT TEACHING IN THE PTHS ENGLISH DEPARTMENT AND IS NOW BECOMING A WELCOMED ADDITION TO THE PTHS FACULTY. ORIGINALLY FROM TINLEY PARK, A SUBURB OF CHICAGO, MS. MCELROY ATTENDS ILLINOIS STATE UNIVERSITY, WHERE SHE STUDIES ENGLISH AND EDUCATION, PREPARING HER FOR THE CLASSROOM THROUGH BOTH ACADEMIC LEARNING AND HANDS-ON TEACHING EXPERIENCE. AS SHE TRANSITIONS INTO PTHS, SHE PLANS TO APPLY WHAT SHE LEARNED AT ISU WHILE ADAPTING TO THE UNIQUE STUDENT-FACULTY DYNAMIC HERE, NAVIGATING ANY DIFFERENCES ALONG THE WAY. SO FAR, MS. MCELROY HAS LOVED HER TIME AT PTHS AND IS EXCITED TO OFFICIALLY JOIN THE SCHOOL IN THE UPCOMING YEAR. SHE SHARED THAT SHE HAS FELT WELCOMED WITH OPEN ARMS AND APPRECIATES HOW SUPPORTIVE AND ACCEPTING THE COMMUNITY HAS BEEN. LOOKING AHEAD, SHE IS ESPECIALLY EXCITED TO TEACH CONTEMPORARY LITERATURE. SHE HOPES TO CREATE A HANDS ON CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT WHERE STUDENTS CAN ENGAGE IN MEANINGFUL DISCUSSIONS ABOUT REAL-WORLD TOPICS. HER PASSION FOR TEACHING ENGLISH STEMS FROM HER OWN POSITIVE EXPERIENCES WITH AN INSPIRING HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER, AND SHE NOW STRIVES TO HELP STUDENTS FIND AND EXPRESS THEIR OWN VOICES. OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL, MS. MCELROY ENJOYS CREATIVE AND RELAXING HOBBIES SUCH AS CROCHETING AND EMBROIDERING. SHE LOVES SPENDING TIME OUTDOORS, ESPECIALLY GOING ON WALKS AND ENJOYING NATURE. SHE ALSO ENJOYS READING AND WRITING, SOME OF HER FAVORITE BOOKS INCLUDE THE AWAKENING BY KATE CHOPIN AND WRITERS & LOVERS BY LILY KING. FOR HER STUDENTS, SHE OFFERS SIMPLE BUT MEANINGFUL ADVICE: “ALWAYS TRY YOUR BEST, STAY OPEN TO LEARNING, AND DON’T BE AFRAID TO MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD.” ABOVE ALL, MS. MCELROY WANTS STUDENTS TO KNOW THAT SHE IS INCREDIBLY EXCITED TO BEGIN TEACHING IN THE FALL AND LOOKS FORWARD TO GETTING TO KNOW THE PTHS COMMUNITY, WHILE CONTINUING TO LEARN AND GROW ALONGSIDE HER STUDENTS.