At last night’s Unit 4 Board of Education meeting, the Board named Dr. Geovanny Ponce the new superintendent.
All Unit 4 families and community members are invited to meet Dr. Ponce at an Open House/Public Reception tomorrow (Tuesday, Feb. 10th) at Southside Elementary (715 S. New Street). The reception will be held from 6-7:30 p.m.
Below you will find a news release from the consulting firm JG Consulting.
Champaign Unit 4 School District Names Dr. Geovanny Ponce their new
Superintendent
Champaign, IL - After a lengthy process of gathering stakeholder input, a nation-wide search which included the review of 31 applicants, and a comprehensive interview process of the top applicants, the Champaign Unit 4 School District School Board is pleased to announce Dr. Ponce as the Superintendent of the Champaign Unit 4 School District. Dr. Geovanny Ponce has devoted more than two decades to serving students in public education across urban and suburban settings. As a district leader, he has driven impactful school improvement efforts that expanded postsecondary opportunities, increased industry-based certifications, strengthened community partnerships, and improved graduation outcomes. Shaped by his own experience growing up in poverty in Honduras, Dr. Ponce leads collaboratively to ensure equitable access to high-quality learning for students from all backgrounds.
Most recently, Dr. Ponce served as Chief of Schools in Fairfax County Public Schools, where he provided executive leadership and oversight for more than 200 campuses and centers and serves approximately 182,000 students in the largest school district in the Commonwealth of Virginia. In this role, he led system-wide improvement efforts that resulted in 100% school accreditation, the elimination of federally identified middle schools, graduation rates exceeding state averages, and measurable gains in equity, academic performance, and school climate. Under his leadership,students experienced increased access to advanced coursework, improved English language proficiency, and reductions in chronic absenteeism. Teachers benefited from improved working conditions, including increased instructional planning time at the elementary level. Dr. Ponce also provided support to manage a $3.8 billion budget, ensuring resources were strategically aligned to student success and district priorities.
Prior to Fairfax, Dr. Ponce served as Assistant Superintendent of High Schools for Houston Independent School District, one of the largest public-school systems in the nation. During his tenure in Houston, he increased graduation rates and postsecondary enrollment, improved outcomes for emergent bilingual students, and reduced dropout rates.
Dr. Ponce’s educational philosophy centers on the belief that every student deserves equitable learning opportunities within a safe, caring, and supportive school environment that nurtures academic, social, and emotional growth. He holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Honduras, a master’s degree in public education from the University of Houston, and a doctorate in education from Texas A&M University, where he was recognized with the Outstanding Alumni Award by the Texas A&M College of Education and Human Development.
Champaign Unit 4 School District Board President, Tony Bruno, believes Dr. Ponce is a great fit to serve the district as its next leader. Bruno said, “The Board, on behalf of a grateful community, extends its profound thanks to Acting Superintendent Dan Casillas for his steady, selfless leadership over the past nine months. When called upon to step into the breach, Mr. Casillas did so without fanfare and righted our ship. Dr. Ponce will lead our district into its next chapter with a focus on academic excellence for all students. His talents and temperament reflect what the community demanded of our next superintendent.”
“In Champaign Unit 4, every student deserves to feel safe, valued, and challenged—and every decision must be guided by excellence, community voice, and opportunity,” said Dr. Ponce. “I am grateful for the Champaign Unit 4 community’s trust, and look forward to doing this important work together.”
The Champaign Unit 4 School District Board will vote on the position at its February 9th meeting. Dr. Ponce will begin his role as Superintendent on July 1st, 2026.