SAN ANTONIO – Randall Fields Elementary School Principal Ileana Perez has been named KSAT’s Educator of the Month.
The students at the elementary school also received special recognition this week with a surprise visit from Northside Independent School District Superintendent (NISD) Dr. John Craft, who presented them with the “Spirit Stick.”
KSAT surprised Perez with the Educator of the Month award. She was also presented with a $500 gift card from Firstmark Credit Union.
Although Perez said she was surprised and honored to be recognized, she was quick to credit her teachers and her staff.
“We have a great staff. Our teachers are amazing. We’ve got a lot of veteran teachers who truly care about the kids,” Perez said, in part. “They love the kids. Our teachers work really hard. Our parents are wonderful, and the kids, I mean, the easiest part is the kids; they’re amazing.”
Perez comes from a family of educators, including her mother, Rosanna Perez.
Rosanna told KSAT that she’s proud to call Perez her daughter.
“Ileana calls me every morning at 6 o’clock on her way to work to talk about her plans for school,” Rosanna said. “Everything she does is about the kids and the teachers. She cares about them like they’re family.”
Perez’s leadership style centers on connection and creativity. Whether playing music in the mornings or dressing up in costumes to greet students, her goal is clear: to make school a place where children are excited to come.
“If kids like coming to school and it’s fun, then they want to come,” Perez said. “Parents, too. They’ll even dance across the crosswalk. We want it to be a fun and exciting place.”
Perez is a proud product of NISD herself. She attended Brauchle Elementary School, Timberwilde Elementary School, Stevenson Middle School and O’Connor High School.
She’s excited to give back to NISD, now that she is an elementary school principal.
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