New SD51 superintendent outlines early priorities

Allen Davidson’s September report details an administrative procedure review, Indigenous Education Council work and employee concerns around communication, trust, voice and workload

Allen Davidson became superintendent of School District 51 on Aug. 1. His September report outlines work underway on district administrative procedures, an Indigenous Education Council and employee workplace concerns.

Photo: Foothills School Division

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School District 51’s new superintendent has begun a comprehensive review of the district’s administrative procedures while continuing work to establish an Indigenous Education Council and responding to employee feedback about communication, trust, employee voice and workload.

Allen Davidson took over as superintendent Aug. 1. His September superintendent’s report is on the agenda for the Board of Education’s Sept. 22 meeting in Grand Forks.

Davidson said his first weeks in the Boundary have included school visits, meetings with employees and community partners, professional learning and a broader review of district operations.

“Since joining SD 51 Boundary as Superintendent I have been focused on listening, learning, and building relationships across the district and broader community,” Davidson wrote in the report.

A significant governance and operational priority for the 2026–27 school year is a comprehensive review and modernization of the district’s Administrative Procedure Manual.

An environmental scan found that existing procedures are stored in multiple locations, use inconsistent numbering systems and include some documents that remain in draft form. The review also identified gaps in operational areas including personnel and employee relations.

Davidson said the district will review, consolidate, develop and modernize its administrative procedures throughout the school year.

Immediate work includes finalizing existing drafts and beginning to post them online, reviewing current procedures and creating a mechanism that allows any stakeholder to request that an administrative procedure be developed, reviewed or amended. The district also plans to clarify staff responsibilities within procedures and establish processes for maintaining a current, centralized manual.

The work follows a comprehensive review of Board policy carried out by the district in recent years. Davidson said the administrative review is intended to improve consistency, clarify responsibilities and support consistent and effective decision-making by district and school leadership.

His report also outlines findings from the district’s Guarding Minds at Work employee survey.

District leadership identified employee engagement, positive workplace relationships, commitment to students and workplace safety as strengths. Communication, trust, employee voice and workload management were identified as areas for growth.

The public report does not include numerical survey results. Davidson said the survey is available to staff through the district’s SharePoint site, and teams across the district will be asked to consider action steps in response to the areas identified for improvement.

Work is also continuing on SD51’s Indigenous Education Council.

Davidson reported meetings with representatives of the Osoyoos Indian Band and Okanagan Nation Alliance, the appointment of an interim secretariat and plans for working sessions in October.

B.C.’s School Act requires each board of education to establish and maintain an Indigenous Education Council. The councils advise boards on matters including Indigenous student programs and achievement, the incorporation of Indigenous perspectives into schools and the use of funding directed toward Indigenous education. They also have approval responsibilities for certain plans, spending and reporting tied to targeted Indigenous education funding.

Davidson has also been visiting schools throughout September. He identified welcoming school environments, positive relationships and support for diverse learners as common strengths, while reporting strong foundations for expanding student voice across the district.

As part of his entry plan, Davidson said he has met with school staff, employee groups, Boundary Integrated Services Model partners and provincial ministry representatives.

Davidson came to SD51 after a long career with Alberta’s Foothills School Division, where he most recently served as assistant superintendent of employee services. The Board announced his appointment in February to succeed Anna Lautard, who had led the district since becoming acting superintendent in January 2021 and was formally appointed superintendent in 2022.

The Sept. 22 Board of Education meeting begins at 6 p.m. at the School Board Office in Grand Forks and can also be viewed online. Trustees are also scheduled to consider the district’s 2025–26 audited financial statements, its 2026–27 Enhancing Student Learning Report and capital plan submissions for 2027–28.

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