SD 73 Superintendent Alison Sidow retiring later this summer

Photo: Tereza Verenca

Alison Sidow.

The Kamloops-Thompson School District will be losing its superintendent later this summer.

Alison Sidow will be retiring on Aug. 31 SD 73 announced today (May 26).

Sidow has been the superintendent since 2016; she joined SD 73 in 2012 as the assistant superintendent of elementary education.

Sidow began her teaching career in the Bulkley Valley and spent several years teaching at an international school in India with her family, notes a news release. Her resumé also includes superintendent of SD 74 (Gold Trail). 

"We have been impressed by the direction Superintendent Sidow has set for SD 73. Our district is recognized throughout the province for its innovation in the sector both for how we deliver education and in how we respond to crisis," says school board chair Kathleen Karpuk in the release, referring to the Parkcrest Elementary School fire and, more recently, COVID-19.

During her early tenure as superintendent Sidow was tasked with developing and implementing a five-year strategic plan that focused on connecting students to their future. The release notes her greatest achievement was reaching a 90 per cent graduation rate for students and closing in on parity for Indigenous students.

"It’s a tribute to Supt. Sidow’s focus and energy that our Indigenous learners are so close to achieving parity with all learners, a result of honouring the first people’s principles of learning and embedding Aboriginal worldviews and perspectives into the strategic plan," Karpuk says.