Lake Travis ISD Superintendent Paul Norton announced July 8 Debbie Garinger as the interim principal at Lake Travis High School, the district’s sole high school campus.

Garinger, a former elementary school teacher, holds more than 40 years of experience in public education, Norton said in the statement. She most recently served as the assistant principal at LTISD’s Hudson Bend Middle School during the 2020-21 school year and previously held principal roles at the elementary, middle and high school levels.

Garinger will fill the role left vacant by former principal Gordon Butler, who accepted in June an assistant superintendent position at Carroll ISD in the Dallas-Fort Worth region. Butler began his career with the district in 2016.

Garinger will provide the campus with immediate leadership as LTISD officials continue the search for a permanent principal, Norton said in a July 7 letter to parents and guardians. The summer season is a challenging time to secure administrative positions, according to Norton, who said the district will review new candidates in the spring 2022 hiring window.

“I have every confidence that Ms. Garinger, our administrative team, and the entire Lake Travis High School faculty will do everything possible to best support our staff, students, and families throughout the coming school year,” Norton said July 8.