Mrs. G. Yvonne Pérez
From The President
From the President Archived Messages Development Office 2005-06 Annual Report Message In PhotosPresident's Biography
Geraldine Yvonne Pérez has started her thirty-eighth year in education - twenty-five of which have been spent at the Oratory Schools of St. Philip Neri.
She is a graduate of Mission High School, Our Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio (Bachelor of Arts) and Pan American University where she attained her Masters Degree in Education majoring in Supervision.
She also holds certificates in Life Professional Supervisor, Life Provisional Elementary and Life Provisional Bilingual studies. Mrs. Pérez spent her initial post-graduate years as an elementary teacher for the PSJA Independent School District, where her talents and education ultimately placed her in an administrative capacity as a Reading Specialist.
In 1977, she and her young family moved to Port Isabel where she continued her work as a Reading Supervisor and Principal of Garriga Elementary. It wasn't long after returning to PSJA ISD… where she resumed her administrative duties as well as those of UIL academic coordinator, that she answered the call to help open the Rio Grande Valley's first Catholic, dual language, bi-cultural private elementary school. As principal of this new institution, she helped develop and implement the dual language curriculum- a new concept at the time. Her youngest child, a daughter, just three years old then, was her inspiration.
The school, called the Oratory Academy of St. Philip Neri, opened in 1983 with a total of fifteen students in grades PK-3 and PK-4.
Today, the Oratory Academy has become an Oratory School System with three separate campuses in two countries, (U.S. and Mexico), with an enrollment of over 700 in grades PK-12. Mrs. Pérez is a founding member of all three institutions- The Oratory Academy, The Newman Institute of the Oratory and The Oratory Athenaeum for University Preparation.
At present, Mrs. Pérez serves as the school's President. She has also served as Chairperson for the accreditation of Catholic schools in the state of Texas (TCCED), and has published three national textbook reading programs in English and Spanish for grades K-8 for Scott Foresman, Inc. She is also a member of Pharr's Historical Committee.
Aside from her career, Mrs. Pérez and her husband Manuel have raised a family of three- Maricela, Manuel Jr. and Laura. Recently, they were blessed with an angel of their own, a grandchild named Michael Alex. Mrs. Pérez is a member of the Lay Oratory.
She and her family are members of St. Jude Thaddeus Parish in Pharr and are all active supporters of the Oratory Schools.
Mrs. Pérez is especially devoted to St. Jude Thaddeus, St. Philip Neri and Our Lady of Guadalupe.
She enjoys the arts and literature and is dedicated to helping Hispanic youth reach their greatest potential while maintaining their rich cultural heritage.
September 2008
Remember to Pray
Every weekday afternoon, as I drive past the campus on my way home, I take a moment to gaze toward the cross being placed at the front of our beautiful campus. The cross, a powerful symbol, will grace our grounds for all to see that this is a Christian educational institution dedicated to the youth of our communities. In that same moment, I take time to thank God for the men who have worked for days in suffocating heat with such diligence and care to make this site a beautiful piece of Christian art! These men are the artisans. Parents and faculty were the sponsors, and St. Teresa of Avila, the author of her meditations called the "Inner Castle, A Way to Christ".
As you pass by daily to bring or fetch your children, please remember each day to say a short prayer for our children, our faculty, our families, and all those who have given of their time and talent to make the Pharr Oratory of St. Philip Neri School System a beautiful gift to the Catholic Church.
See progress of St. Teresa of Avila's "Inner Castle" here.
August 2008
Letter from the President of Schools
Dear Friends in Christ,
Welcome to our 26th year of offering Catholic Oratorian dual-language education, PK-12, in the Rio Grande Valley. In keeping with the wishes of Pope Benedict XVI, this year will be dedicated to the bi-millennium of the death of St. Paul. Since 1983, God certainly has had His hand in the success and advancement of the Oratory Schools, for which we are humbled and most grateful for His many blessings.
This year, my office has been very busy developing central goals for this coming school year. Each of my departments, of which there are seven (Major Benefactors & Capital Campaign, Alumni, Publications, Development Fund Raising, Web Site Design/Content, Public Relations, and Marketing), has specific purposes to secure the future advancement of our schools. Much has been completed in the past 25 years. However, much is yet to be. Future long-term plans include:
- Chapel of the Holy Rosary for the Student Body
- Playing Fields/Sports Program/Gymnasium
- Fine Arts Auditorium
- Complete Cafeteria Services
- Additional Classroom Wings
This year’s major goals for the President and Development Offices are to:
- Increase naming opportunities for major benefactors and event sponsors
- Pursue grants in the areas of: Cafeteria, Distance Learning, and Fine Arts
- Upgrade system Web site to include new features, online giving, department links
- Increase development fundraising goal to $200,000 ("Noche de Alegría", Annual Giving, etc.)
- Increase awareness of school accomplishments and recognition of event sponsors
- Be a continuous model of Christian fellowship and community service.
I look forward to a positive and fruitful relationship with each of you and your extended families. My prayers are with you today and always.
In Christ and St. Philip Neri,
G. Yvonne Pérez, President