CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WAND) — As students return to classrooms in Champaign Unit 4 Schools, they are not the only ones beginning a new chapter.

Geovanny Ponce is starting his first school year as superintendent of the district, bringing more than two decades of experience in public education and a stated focus on improving student achievement, supporting teachers and strengthening relationships with families.

Ponce officially began the position July 1 after the Unit 4 Board of Education selected him earlier this year following a nationwide search that included 31 applicants. Before coming to Champaign, Ponce served as Chief of Schools for Fairfax County Public Schools in Virginia, overseeing more than 200 schools and centers serving roughly 182,000 students.

For Ponce, however, the role is much more than a job title.

"It feels, I would say, heavy because the responsibility is huge, and I don't take that lightly," Ponce told WAND News.

Ponce said he was not initially looking to leave his previous position when he was invited to apply for the Unit 4 job. That changed when he looked at the district's student achievement data.

"They need me, they need me," Ponce recalled thinking. "I was thinking about those kids that are low-performing, that they need support either in math, reading, social-emotional support and many other areas."

Ponce's path to the superintendent's office began thousands of miles away from Champaign. He was born and raised in Honduras and moved to the United States when he was 28. He told WAND News that learning English as an adult was difficult, but his experience as a second-language learner has become a way for him to connect with others facing similar challenges.

His career in education began in Houston, where Ponce said he worked in a range of positions, including substitute teacher, Spanish teacher, history teacher, math teacher and campus technology specialist. He later became an assistant principal, principal, regional superintendent and assistant superintendent of high schools before moving to Virginia.

According to Unit 4, Ponce's previous leadership work included efforts to improve graduation rates, expand postsecondary opportunities and increase access to advanced coursework. In Fairfax County, the district said Ponce helped lead system-wide improvement efforts that resulted in all schools receiving accreditation while also making gains in academic performance and school climate.

Ponce said those experiences reinforced a philosophy he plans to bring to Champaign: students should remain at the center of district decisions.

"I have learned that when you think about children, you will never be wrong," he said.

Improving academic performance is expected to be one of Ponce's priorities, but he said that work starts with the people inside Unit 4's classrooms.

"Nothing replaces good teachers," he said. "No matter how much you invest in different programs, technology, if we don't have the right teachers in every classroom, the children will not advance."

Ponce said he wants to build trust with educators through communication and visibility, including spending time inside Unit 4 schools and classrooms.

"Trust is not given; it's earned, and the only way to earn their trust will be communication and visibility," he said.

His plans also include professional development tailored to individual educators and creating clearer pathways for teachers who want to move into administrative or leadership positions within the district. Ponce said keeping talented educators in Unit 4 means giving them opportunities to grow professionally.

When it comes to improving test scores, Ponce said there is no single solution. He wants the district to focus on relationships between students and teachers, professional development, high-quality curriculum and effective classroom instruction.

He said administrators will also spend time observing instruction and providing teachers with feedback. New teachers will be an early focus, with more experienced educators helping provide coaching and mentorship.

Ponce compared his role to that of a coach working to put each member of the district in a position to succeed.

"I see myself like a coach, you know, like a football or soccer coach," Ponce said. "You have different players and based on their knowledge and skills, then you position them in different parts of the field to make sure that the whole team is successful."

Ponce is also preparing to address student cell phone use.

He acknowledged concerns from some parents who want students to have access to phones for safety reasons but said the district's goal is to eliminate distractions during instruction.

Ponce said Unit 4 plans to enforce restrictions on student cell phone use "from bell to bell," while recognizing there may be situations when a teacher intentionally incorporates technology into a lesson.

"I want the students to focus on the instruction, on the lesson, to make sure that they learn," Ponce said.

Communication with families is another area Ponce said he wants to prioritize.

Amid concerns from some families about the district's registration process, Ponce said Unit 4 has offered flexibility, including extended availability and weekend registration opportunities. He said district staff is even willing to work with families who cannot make it to a district building because of transportation issues.

The district is also using "U4 Connect," an online form that allows families and community members to submit questions, concerns, feedback, or positive comments directly to the district. Dr. Ponce said he eventually hopes to develop an application that makes the communication tool even easier for parents to access.

As the new school year gets underway, Ponce encouraged families with questions to contact their child's school or central administration rather than relying on information circulating on social media.

"If you really want to know the real thing, email me, call Central Office, and we will answer," Ponce said.

Ultimately, he said his vision for Unit 4 is that every student should receive a quality education and leave the district prepared for a world that extends far beyond Champaign.

"Every single child is being successful and receiving quality education. That's just my dream," Ponce said.

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