ESC Region 12 Employee Elected President of National
Rural Education Association

WACO, Texas - Phil Gerik, field service agent for Education Service Center (ESC) Region 12, has been chosen to serve as president of the National Rural Education Association (NREA) for the 2011-12 school year. Gerik has been involved in education for 37 years, and served as a school administrator in Central Texas for the past 24.

“Phil has worked hard in Texas in helping grow TREA, and we know he will use the same energy at the national level,” said John Hill, executive director of NREA.

The NREA is a membership organization directed by an elected executive committee consisting of national representatives of rural school administrators and teachers, state education agencies, education service centers, higher education entities, rural school district boards, and at-large constituencies.

Gerik is also the past president of the Texas Rural Education Association (TREA), and represented Texas as a member of the National Rural Education Advocacy Coalition (NREAC). Last February in Washington D.C., NREAC was an active participant in the first national rural caucuses held by the United States Congress. Additionally, TREA was an information agent for the National Stimulus Program, which had initial input on the reauthorization of the ESEA (Elementary and Secondary Education Act) for the 2010 fiscal year.

Before joining ESC Region 12, Gerik was the superintendent at Mount Calm ISD for eight years. Also during his career he was a principal and athletic director in West ISD for 17 years, and taught and coached at both Mesquite ISD and San Antonio Northside ISD.