The Waterloo Region District School Board (WRDSB) has selected Alison Gaymes-San Vicente for the role of Associate Director, responsible for Education Services, effective October 28, 2024.
Alison joins WRDSB from the Toronto District School Board, where she served as a Superintendent of Education. She is an innovative leader who has dedicated her more than 28 year career to creating systemic change through the use of evidence and research-based practices. She is committed to all students benefiting from a more equitable and accessible public education system.
Alison's passion for developing a better education system for all students led to her creating and facilitating system-wide girls' empowerment programming for 15 years. Notably, she is a trailblazer in the work of "destreaming," which has expanded throughout the province to increase academic opportunities and outcomes for all students. She also supported a reduction in suspensions and expulsions through an interrogation of bias and systemic structures in her work with the Safe and Caring Schools department.
"We look forward to Alison joining WRDSB and supporting learning services in their work to transform education within the Waterloo Region," said Joanne Weston, WRDSB Chairperson. "Her work to advance destreaming math curriculum in Ontario and support equitable opportunities for all students aligns to the goals of our multi-year strategic plan."
Alison began her career teaching intermediate students Literacy, Math, Science and the Arts and ascended to various leadership roles with the Toronto District School Board, such as a K-12 Centrally Assigned Principal for School Improvement & Principal Coaching, then as Superintendent of Education. Alison also was a pre-service teacher education course instructor at York University's Faculty of Education, with a focus on Science.
Alison has worked collaboratively with a variety of teams, including with the Ministry of Education and multiple community groups, to build understanding and address systemic issues in order to support student achievement and well-being. She has worked with hundreds of schools to develop strong literacy and numeracy practices. She also supported schools with addressing disproportionate outcomes of students with identified learning needs through the development of strong, accountable and transparent School Improvement Planning practices.
Through her relationship-based, impact-driven leadership, scholarship and work in school effectiveness, she has also supported multiple school districts across the province in developing and strengthening their own school improvement practices.
"On behalf of the Senior Team, we are pleased to welcome Alison Gaymes-San Vicente to the WRDSB as the Associate Director, responsible for Education Services," said jeewan chanicka, Director of Education for the WRDSB. "Alison is an incredible leader with a commitment to academic excellence. She will build on the work of our Education Services teams to help us meet our Strategic Directions and work with families and communities to help all students succeed, regardless of their chosen future pathways."
During her free time, Alison is an active wife and mom of four children. She also makes time to centre her well-being through yoga, meditation and church; challenges her own thinking through reading and by leaning into learning that takes her out of her comfort zone; and moves through daily tensions and challenges by listening to soca, lifting weights and running.
We look forward to Alison joining the WRDSB and for the system leadership she will provide to support student academic achievement and well-being.
