In an annual event highlighting district programs, Georgetown ISD Superintendent Devin Padavil sat down with students and teachers to talk about opportunities available to them, as well as provide some key updates on district progress.

What you need to know

Ahead of the panel discussion, Padavil provided an update on a few bond projects. These include a new middle and elementary school set to open next year, as well as a third comprehensive high school near Lake Georgetown expected to open in 2028.

He also reiterated the district's legislative priorities for the ongoing legislative session, which include increasing local funding for school districts to provide competitive compensation and better serve students.

In the last two years, the district has worked to increase starting pay for teachers from $53,000 in the 2022-23 school year to $56,500 in the 2024-25 school year.

The details

The panel discussion was moderated by Wolf Ranch Elementary School fifth grader Zoe Flanery, and included:

• East View High School student Tristan Arellano
• Georgetown High School student Nathan Aaker
• Tippit Middle School teacher Tiffani Dabbs
• Mitchell Middle School teacher Melanie Smith

Each shared what they have loved best about their time in the district, with Arellano highlighting her time as her high school's dance team captain. Aaker named the district's rocketry program as particularly important in identifying what kind of career he might like to pursue after graduation.

What they're saying

Aaker and Arellano were selected to speak on the panel through their participation in the superintendent's student advisory committee. Aaker spoke to how much participating in this committee has meant to him personally.

"I think the superintendent's student advisory committee, it's really nice because you get to see kind of that internal process," he said. "You can tour Hammerlun and see how tirelessly everybody works here in order to do the best job that they can for educating us."