Faculty & Staff - Fines Arts, Foreign Language and STEM Lab
Ms. April Pickett / Primary Spanish Teacher and Director of Youth Formatiom
Ms. Pickett is happy to be teaching Spanish to the PreK through 3rd graders. Ms. Pickett gained fluency in Spanish by taking intensive Spanish courses at both the high school and college levels. She also had the opportunity to practice the language in Mexico several times while doing missionary work. Before taking her position at St. Isaac's, she worked in an English immersion boarding school with students from Spanish speaking countries. In addition to teaching Spanish, Ms. Pickett is the Director of Youth Formation at St. Issac Jogues. She received her BA in Religious and Pastoral Studies from Mater Ecclesiae College in Rhode Island and is currently studying a Master's program online through LSU. She comes from a large family and grew up in Bradley, Illinois.
Mrs. Linda McElherne | Art teacher
Mrs. McElherne has been at St. Isaac Jogues School since 2003. Her art degrees in Art Education and in Design are from Northern Illinois University, with a Masters from the University of Minnesota. In addition, she participated in Green Technology-Certified in Business/Design/Home, which she utilizes in STEAM teaching. Her path has taken her in several directions, and offered her a broad creative perspective by working in marketing communications, advertising, graphic design and architectural interior design for major corporations. As an author of two books- earning the National Teachers’ Choice Award, she has spoken at national curricular, gifted, and art education conferences and conventions. She also taught at the gifted K-8 level and at the college level. She has resided in Hinsdale for many years, and served on the board of the Design Review Commission for the Village, been a Cub Scout leader, and she is a parent of four young people.
Mrs. Kathy Reagin | STEM Instructor
Mrs. Reagin is thrilled to be teaching the STEM curriculum at St. Isaac Jogues School. She has been a member of the St. Isaac Jogues family for about 17 years. She has earned her BA in Art and a Master’s degree in Elementary Education with endorsements in Art, Science, and Social Studies, and a STEM certification.Mrs. Reagin had the pleasure of teaching 3rd and 4th grades at St, Isaac’s, moving from 4th grade Science to STEM. Being the K-8 Lead Instructor for Project Lead The Way program, Mrs. Reagin is proud to teach the PLTW multidisciplinary curriculum which engages her students in hands-on activities, projects, and problems that are reflective of real-world challenges. She hopes to empower her students to become independent, confident learners who like to think outside the box!
Mrs. Maura Tkach | Spanish Teacher
Mrs. Tkach received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Spanish and Speech Communication from the University of Illinois and currently teaches Spanish to grades 4-8. She studied in Sevilla, Spain for a semester through a study abroad program in college. She is a returning teacher, having taught at St. Isaac’s from 2002-2008. Maura believes that learning other languages improves brain function by constantly challenging it to recognize and discern meaning during conversations and classwork.
In her free time, Mrs. Tkach enjoys being with her two daughters, Fiona (10) and Emma (9), as well as her husband, Kent. She also enjoys playing volleyball, reading, and spending time with her family and friends.
In her free time, Mrs. Tkach enjoys being with her two daughters, Fiona (10) and Emma (9), as well as her husband, Kent. She also enjoys playing volleyball, reading, and spending time with her family and friends.
