The Georgetown ISD board of trustees voted Aug. 7 to hire Devin Padavil as its new superintendent. Padavil is from Illinois, which is where he earned his bachelor’s degree in middle school education. He earned a master’s of education in administration and a doctorate of education from The University of Texas. Previously, he worked in Fort Bend, Leander, Pflugerville and Taylor ISDs. Community Impact spoke with him about his plans for his first year as Georgetown ISD's superintendent as well as his professional background. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

What made you want to become an educator?

No matter your career, we're trying to make the lives of other people better and make our communities better. I just think there is ... no greater sweet spot than serving in education. You get to help shape the personal beliefs, the personal confidence of students in dreaming of what they can become after they graduate, and so that's a huge responsibility, but a huge honor as well.

What is something parents should know about you?

I have high expectations for myself and for the experiences that our students will have here in Georgetown ISD. They should know that I am fully dedicated to honoring what makes Georgetown, Texas, and Georgetown ISD a really special community. But most importantly, I want parents to know that every time I see their kids, I am going to pretend that I am their uncle. I am here to help take care of them while they're attending one of our school buildings.

What are some of your plans to address Georgetown ISD’s growth?

It is an exciting time and it is a time full of aggressively embracing challenges. This is the fastest-growing community in the nation. It is so important to stay ahead of it. There is a lot of work taking place and about to launch that is going to help the school district stay ahead of it. But in terms of the growth, it's two things: It's facilities, but it's also retaining the attributes of the student experience that make Georgetown special, regardless of how big or how quickly we grow.

What experiences do you think have shaped your approach to improving student outcomes as a superintendent?

As a district administrator, I have always had a close relationship with and helping to grow principals so that they are able to identify the needs of their schools. Then we invest in those teachers and those leaders so that they can help create great experiences for kids.

What stands out to you about Georgetown ISD?

It's the culture. The people in Georgetown really support and take care of each other. That goes everywhere from the staff to the students and families. Regardless of the work we take on, we have to retain that part of the culture, which is, we are one Georgetown; we're here to support each other, and we're here to help every student and staff member thrive.

When you were a student, what was your favorite subject and why?

Every year what I thought was my favorite subject changed, and it really depended on the teacher. When I had a teacher that was just really passionate about that subject I would be like, 'You know, I didn't go into this year thinking I was gonna love social studies, but I love social studies. It's my favorite subject.' If any teachers get to read this article, I would just tell them, you don't have to be perfect. There are good days and there are bad days, but if you care about your students and you care about the learning experience that your kids are having, you are doing an exceptional job. Really that is the foundation of all the work we do here.