Public-school educator takes helm at St. Teresa

The new principal of St. Teresa of Avila Catholic School said she was led to the position by a higher power.

Chris Perdomo, a 32-year educator, left Zephyr Cove Elementary School in Douglas County, where she was principal at the end of the 2005 school year.

But she wasn't sure she wanted her career to end.

So the Carson City resident prayed, and said she found an answer.

"The reason I took the job was I love my faith, and I believe that God brings us to places," she said. "It was sort of like, 'I can't fight that power base. He's calling me.'"

Perdomo, wife of Carson High School principal Fred Perdomo, will fill the vacancy created when the former principal was fired.

Several people applied for the position, but Perdomo, who has been a parishioner of the church since the early 1970s, was selected.

"Any decision made around here is faith-based," said the Rev. Jerry Hanley. "That's who we are. She's been a member of the church for a long, long time, and she's a woman of great faith and wonderful faith in children, especially in education."

Perdomo hopes to work to increase current enrollment of 168 students at the school, which houses kindergarten through eighth grade.

Perdomo has hired two additional custodians to help clean the school over the summer.

Part of the interior of the building, the bathrooms and school office, are being painted, as is the entire exterior.

"I did not have any real designs on continuing my profession, but when this position presented itself, I just couldn't say no," she said.

Perdomo, who attended Catholic school, graduated from Sedona State University in 1971 with dual degrees in sociology and psychology. She graduated from Idaho University in 1973 with a master's degree in education.

Her first job with the Carson City School District came in 1973. She taught in various positions and grade levels until 1999, when she transferred to Douglas County schools.

Soon after, she became principal at Zephyr Cove, the school made high-achieving status under No Child Left Behind.

"(Zephyr Cove and St. Teresa) are both the same kind of environment," she said. "They are both very small schools with very involved parents and a strong professional staff."