Editor's note: Quotes from SD51 board and Kevin Argue added.
School District 51’s (SD51) board of education has announced Dr. D. A. Perley Elementary School principal Kevin Argue as the next Superintendent of Schools effective July 1.
“I am looking forward to working with the board of education, principals and vice-principals, teachers, staff, parents and communities across the Boundary,” said Argue. “I will bring a strong commitment to building collaborative relationships with all partners of the school district to deliver exceptional learning experiences for the students of SD51.”
According to a press release, “The Board of Education followed an extensive, Canada-wide search for suitable applicants and is pleased to have selected a candidate from existing school district personnel.”
Current SD51 Superintendent of Schools Michael Strukoff noted it was an extensive process that began last June.
“We engaged Make a Future, which assists districts in hiring all kinds of staff,” he explained. “Our staff used their skills to help us in the recruitment process where they shortlisted four candidates. They created a process, interview questions, and then they interviewed last Monday and Tuesday before they made the decision on the candidate.”
Candidates for the position were from Ontario and British Columbia, Strukoff added.
“I think that it shows that after working really hard they found that we had really good personnel already working in our district. It’s a good news story for us on the choices we make when we start hiring people to our district right from the get-go,” said Strukoff. “I’ll be working closely with Kevin as we develop a transition plan and work on our (human resources) issues and goals for the summer of 2013.”
Argue has been with SD51 since 1996. He was previously the vice-principal at Grand Forks Secondary School.