ABOUT PRE-Geneva association
Pre-Geneva Association (formerly Pre-Lee Association) provides a forum for expectant parents and families with children ages 0-5 who reside in the Geneva Heights Elementary (formerly Robert E. Lee Elementary) attendance zone, to get to know one another and the school. Our primary mission is to cultivate relationships between neighbors and our children as we navigate the joys and challenges of parenthood – especially as it relates to education options in our neighborhood. The organization, led by a board of parent volunteers, sponsors a variety of member activities, including play groups, parents’ nights out, educational forums about the school and its programs, and more. We provide support to Geneva Heights Elementary and encourage our neighbors to choose our local public school for their children, but membership in the Pre-Geneva Association is not contingent on school selection, as that decision is likely still under consideration for many families.
Pre-Geneva Association is the brainchild of Wendy Hatchell (Lakewood Heights) and finally came to fruition after a year of grass roots efforts to educate neighbors and mobilize parents to choose the local, public option for their children's education. We love our neighborhoods and believe in building a strong community of families who support an exceptional school.
ABOUT GENEVA HEIGHTS
Geneva Heights Elementary School (formerly Robert E. Lee Elementary School) was established in 1927, when school was held in a smaller school building facing Matilda. School started in the current two-story building in September of 1931 and the original school house was eventually demolished. Located at 2911 Delmar Avenue between Vanderbilt and Goodwin, the school feeds into J.L. Long Middle School and Woodrow Wilson High School.
Geneva Heights is one of only two elementary schools in DISD with a certified International Baccalaureate (IB) Primary Years Programme (both J.L. Long and Woodrow Wilson are also IB schools). Additionally, Geneva Heights offers a two-way dual language program. Since 2019, the school has been led by Principal Michael J. Ruiz, who was named principal after serving DISD in a number of capacities over an 11-year period. Prior to joining the Geneva Heights Family, Mr. Ruiz was a dual language teacher at Hotchkiss Elementary, a teacher in the Gifted and Talented program at William B. Travis Vanguard, and the assistant principal at Woodrow Wilson High School, where he planned and implemented the secondary dual language program. In 2016, Mr. Ruiz was named one of DISD's District Teachers of the Year, followed in 2017 by receiving the Jose Marti National Teacher of the Year Scholarship at the National Association of Bilingual Education Conference. Mr. Ruiz is committed to working with Pre-Geneva and other community partners in the pursuit of an excellent educational experience for all our students - as he says at the end of every school day's morning messages, "That's the Cougar way."