Sharon Desmoulin-Kherat named District 150's permanent superintendent
PEORIA — To hardly anyone’s surprise, Sharon Desmoulin-Kherat can strip the “interim” from her title.
Peoria District 150 School Board members appointed her superintendent in a 6-0 vote after a special executive session Tuesday. Desmoulin-Kherat was one of two finalists from among 18 applicants for the position. But she was the only candidate interviewed by the board.
“I know this position is not for the weak and feeble. I know one day you’re toasted and the next day you’re toast,” Desmoulin-Kherat said in an acceptance speech in which she highlighted her focus on community engagement and collective leadership.
Terms of the contract, such as salary and benefits, have to be worked out. The length of her contract, which begins Wednesday, will be at least three years and possibly longer, said board President Martha Ross.
Ross and board member Dan Adler served as co-chairpersons of the community committee that narrowed the applicant pool down to two finalists.
Though Desmoulin-Kherat was the obvious front-runner for the permanent spot, the board’s decision to wrap up the search for a superintendent came more than a month earlier than its initial deadline.
The show of community support for Desmoulin-Kherat made it unnecessary to drag out the search process, Adler said.
“We had hoped Dr. Desmoulin-Kherat would have the ability to build that mass support and it played out,” he said of the board’s decision to give her the job six months ago.
Desmoulin-Kherat stepped into the job, first as acting, then interim, superintendent in July, at a salary of $185,000 annually. She replaced Grenita Lathan, who resigned a day before a new board planned to consider terminating her contract.
As recently as Jan. 22, according to a news release, Ross anticipated finalists’ interviews would be conducted in mid-February and a superintendent appointed by March 1.
Tom Leahy, a consultant with the Illinois Association of School Boards, helped the board conduct the $14,000 search for a new superintendent.
The board’s initial decision to conduct a search created tense moments and split votes among board members. But the unanimous vote sent a message about Desmoulin-Kherat’s support. Board member Linda Butler was not at the meeting.
The two newest board members, Adler and Ernestine Jackson, made and seconded the motion to hire Desmoulin-Kherat. After the board meeting, her first stop as superintendent was the Manual-Central boys’ basketball game at Peoria High School.
With Desmoulin-Kherat’s appointment, Interim Financial Officer Erik Bush is the only other top-level District 150 administrator in a temporary position.
Pam Adams can be reached at 686-3245 and padams@pjstar.com. Follow her on Twitter @padamspam.
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Sharon Desmoulin-Kherat
Peoria School District 150’s new superintendent, Sharon Desmoulin-Kherat, worked in Peoria 30 years — including more than a decade in Peoria public schools — before leaving to work in Springfield and Danville. Here are a few facts about her:
- Superintendent, Peoria School District 150, January 2016
- Acting/interim superintendent, Peoria School District 150, July 2015 to January 2016
- Associate superintendent, Danville Public Schools, 2013-2015
- District transformation officer, Springfield Public Schools, 2011-2013
- Principal, Manual High School, 2008-2011
- Principal, Whittier Primary School, 2001-2008
- Assistant principal, Roosevelt Magnet School, 1998-2001
- Vice president of operations, Tri-County Urban League, 1996-1998
- Associate director of education and youth incentives, Tri-County Urban League, 1989-1996
