On Monday night, Taylor Independent School District learned they will have to begin a search for a new superintendent after Georgetown ISD announced Devin Padavil as the lone finalist for the position in Georgetown. The announcement came while Padavil was in Cabo, San Lucas, Mexico, where he was married this past weekend.
“It was an unexpected opportunity to lead an outstanding team in Georgetown,” Padavil said in a written statement to the Taylor Press. “It is bittersweet because the community of Taylor has been outstanding to me and my family.”
Padavil is expected to begin his new role following the mandatory 21-day waiting period.
According to Shorty Mitchell, Taylor ISD board vice president, the decision for interim superintendent will be discussed at the board meeting Monday, July 24.
“We as a board haven’t made our mind up on who will take over as interim superintendent,” he said.
As of today, Padavil is still the Taylor ISD superintendent. The Georgetown ISD board will vote on hiring Padavil during a regularly scheduled meeting Aug. 7. Padavil takes over after Fred Bent, who spent nine years as superintendent in Georgetown, retired.
“We are excited to welcome Dr. Padavil to Georgetown,” Elizabeth McFarland, Georgetown ISD board president said in a press release. “His extensive experience, exceptional leadership, and commitment to educational excellence make him the ideal candidate to lead GISD into the future. Under his guidance, Georgetown ISD is poised for continued growth, innovation, and success.”
Padavil joined Taylor ISD in February of 2021. He immediately became a part of the Taylor community by participating in several programs. One of his first acts as superintendent was to hire former head football coach and athletic director Brandon Houston, who helped lead all sports to the playoffs in just his second year. He also led the charge on the passage of the largest bond in Taylor ISD’s history.
In January, Taylor trustees approved a raise for Padavil bringing his pay to $191,000 with a $5,000 retention stipend. According to Georgetown ISD Executive Director for Communications, Melinda Brasher, the district cannot execute a hiring contract until after the 21-day waiting period.
While in Taylor, Padavil successfully navigate a Chapter 33 agreement with Samsung that will benefit the district’s maintenance and operations budget by $46 million. He also lead the expansion of Career and Technical Education programs to help students meet workforce demands, and established systems to track and ensure college, career and military readiness for high school students. Padavil was responsible for developing systems to monitor academic progress and providing timely intervention to improve post-pandemic performance.
“I think it’s a combination of things,” Mitchell said about why he believes Padavil was chosen for the position. “His work ability and communication skills are out of this world. His visibility is out of this world. It takes more than one (person) to get test scores up ... he did everything he possibly could do. He did his part.”
Padavil created the district’s first teacher advisory committee and student advisory council and built routine communication structures to keep parents and community members informed.
“I am excited for the future of Taylor ISD. Not just because of the city’s development, but because of the positive momentum of the culture and achievement of our students,” Padavil said. “Taylor has good leaders at our schools and an exceptional school board.”
