TASA’s “Inspiring Leaders” tagline is not just a reminder of TASA’s commitment to leadership development; it describes our members themselves — school leaders who inspire others as they work to prepare future-ready students. Meet King Davis, one of those Inspiring Leaders.
Dr. King Davis was chosen to lead Sheldon ISD in January 2016, bringing with him 27 years of experience in education as a teacher, coach, assistant principal, principal, assistant superintendent and superintendent. Since then, Davis has helped usher the district through devastation caused by Hurricane Harvey and now faces leading Sheldon through the COVID-19 pandemic. Through it all, Davis has kept a strong focus on success and is driven by the progress he’s seen in the district.
“I could not be more proud of this district and how far we have come,” Davis says. “Over the past five years, we have raised the expectations for our student achievement through enhanced programs in the classroom. Our teachers have spent extensive time in training to prepare them for differentiated instruction that offers our students personalized learning experiences. I’m proud of the progress we have made to address the diverse needs of our students.”
Tina Herrington, who like Davis formerly served as superintendent in Wharton ISD, says that Davis is a strong, dedicated leader who consistently works to forward student success.
“Dr. Davis is dedicated to putting systems together and growing administrators to grow successful students,” Herrington says. “He is focused on overcoming all barriers to put programs and initiatives in place. He is a true inspiring leader for other educators.”
Davis describes his personal philosophy as that of a certain major automobile manufacturer: “the relentless pursuit of perfection.” While he concedes that perfection is an elusive goal, it’s one that he still strives for daily. In his role as an educational leader, Davis feels that failure simply isn’t an option. Too much rides on his success. He cites a quote from Aristotle, which states: “The educated differ from the uneducated as much as the living from the dead.”
“When I initially heard this quote some years ago, I thought it was a bit extreme,” Davis says. “Upon further reflection, I’ve concluded that it wasn’t extreme at all, but states a powerful truth. A proper education is so critical to one’s life, that without it, one may very well experience a form of death. The death of dreams, goals, aspirations, prosperity and hope becomes a reality for many of our citizens who lack the opportunities that come along with a proper education. Public education is the only hope that many of our school-aged citizens have; therefore, we must pursue perfection daily.”
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