History
 | This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (November 2024) |
Grenita Lathan became the superintendent circa 2010. She was in that capacity until 2015, when she chose to leave her position. [2] At the time the board of trustees was going to deliberate choosing a new superintendent after two members placed the item on the board agenda. [3]
In July 2015 Sharon Desmoulin-Kherat became the interim superintendent. In January 2016, the board voted for her to become the permanent superintendent. All six board members voted to confirm her. Board members stated that the people of the district approved of Desmoulin-Kherat, which is why they chose to confirm her. [4] In January 2019 the board of trustees renewed Desmoulin-Kherat's contract, and that year her salary increased. [5]
During the COVID-19 pandemic in Illinois, at one point the district required all students to wear masks, including students vaccinated against COVID-19. [6]
In 2022, five of the school board members voted to retain Desmoulin-Kherat as superintendent, while two voted against. She began to serve a new four year term. [7] Desmoulin-Kherat's salary also increased. [8]
In 2017 an employee of the school district argued that ethnic minority groups did not have sufficient say in district affairs. This comment resulted in a campaign to rename schools named after figures that caused harm in race relations. [9] Gregory Wilson, a member of the board of trustees, facilitated the renamings. [10] Five schools were renamed in 2022. [11] These renamings, combined with two others that happened after 2018 and before 2022, had a total price of $78,310.59. [12] There were some members of the public who believed the renamings were misguided. [13] Phil Luciano, a columnist for the Peoria Journal Star , argued that the proposed name changes were important and should be done. [14]