The start of the school year marked major shifts in the administration of Monroe-Woodbury High School. Former Vice Principal Mr. McElroy began his term as interim principal of Monroe-Woodbury High School, replacing Principal Ms. Soto. In his place, Dr. Sciarra began as interim vice principal. They will remain in their positions until the end of the school year, during which Mr. McElroy hopes to create a welcoming environment for the students and faculty. 

“For me, it’s all about community and making this a place where we all want to come everyday. There are so many great things that happen here in Monroe-Woodbury, and, to be at the helm and share those great things, I enjoy it. I love it,” he said.

Mr. McElroy started off his career in education as an art teacher, where he taught grades two through five at Central Valley Elementary, grades seven and eight at the middle school, before eventually landing at the high school. This year marks Mr. McElroy’s sixteenth in the district. 

Now, as interim principal, he deals with more “front-end work” like communication with students and planning assemblies and conferences. 

Compared to his current position, Mr. McElroy said that his former role as vice principal was focused more around technology, where he had to organize data and create schedules on PowerSchool. 

While his work was time-consuming, Mr. McElroy enjoyed working with the department chairs in the district, and he looks forward to supporting the faculty and students throughout the year. 

“Mr. McElroy has been wonderful at engaging with the student body,” said Dylan Escobar, Board of Education Student Representative. “He makes students feel respected and understood.” 

Mr. McElroy believes that this school has transformed into a tight community, which leads everything to become better. 

From his perspective, the high school has a welcoming atmosphere that radiates positivity. He invites those who don’t feel content with their surroundings to chat about how to fix it. 

“I know everybody’s experiences are individualistic and different. I encourage them to come and talk to me. And, if they need to contact me, they can come right up to the main office or email me as well,” Mr. McElroy. 

Outside of school, Mr. McElroy manages parenting his eight-year-old and eleven-year-old children, alongside coaching their soccer and basketball teams. In his free time, Mr. McElroy likes to mountain bike.

The district plans to begin the interview process for a permanent principal in the spring, according to Mr. McElroy. 

“Mr. McElroy and the current lineup of administrators are doing a wonderful job right now, so I would want him to be chosen again,” said Escobar in an email correspondence. “I will still have confidence in other candidates, but the high school is functioning so well under Mr. McElroy that I would be shocked if another candidate managed to prove themselves more worthy than him.”