The Litchfield Elementary School District Governing Board approved Dr. Carter Davidson as the new superintendent Tuesday.

Davidson comes to LESD from the Peoria Unified School District with extensive experience in special education and administration. Davidson officially takes position July 1.

Board President Melissa Zuidema said she admired Davidson’s experience above the primary school level.

“He comes from a large district that's got K all the way up to 12,” she said. “So he knows what our kids need to know when they go to high school, which is going to be very helpful when dealing with what our students need to be doing to be successful.”

According to Davidson’s LinkedIn account, he is currently chief student services officer at PUSD, with nearly two years' experience. Before that, he worked in human resources as the chief personnel officer and HR administrator for more than five years.

Before his experience at PUSD, he worked at the Alhambra Elementary School District in Phoenix. He served as a school principal for five years, student services director for seven, and STEM and human resource support services director for three, and special education teacher for four years.

“Dr. Davidson's leadership and communication style, his passion for student success, and respect for all educators are impressive and 100% in line with the future of LASD,” said Kimberly Moran, board member for LESD.  “So I am super excited to welcome him on board and cannot wait to see what the future holds.”

“Dr. Davidson's passion showed like no one else's; it was very evident that he cares about students that he's going to care about our staff, our teachers, and that he is going to put them in the forefront of every decision that he makes,” Zuidema said. “He made a comment about which I've talked to him about a bunch that students are the most important stakeholder group in what we do every day.”

Davidson earned his bachelor’s degree from Grand Canyon University and his master.s and doctorate degrees from Arizona State University.

Recognition for Davidson includes Lakeshore Learning’s Teacher of the Year, Alhambra’s Excellence in Education and Administrative Vision award, Arizona School Board’s Association Golden Bell award, and an A+ Promising Practices award through the Arizona Education Foundation.

Michael McDaniel can be reached at mmcdaniel@iniusa.org. We’d like to invite our readers to submit their civil comments, pro or con, on this issue. Email AZOpinions@iniusa.org.