PEORIA (25News Now) – The Board of Education for Peoria Public Schools has selected its next superintendent, while the other finalist for the position will take over as the district’s newly created deputy superintendent.
It’s a homecoming of sorts for the next superintendent. Dr. Jerry Bell, who used to be Academic Instructional Officer and Executive Director of Middle Schools for PPS before serving as Deputy Chief of Student Support for the Syracuse, New York City School District.
“You have bestowed in me the confidence, the rituals if you will, of the office of superintendent, and believe you may, I am not going to disappoint you,” Bell told the school board Monday night.
He replaces Dr. Sharon Desmoulin-Kherat, who’s retiring when her contract expires at the end of the current school year.
“It’s an awesome responsibility. With your partnership, working hand in hand, we’re going to move this district to greater heights,” said Bell.
Dr. Renee Andrews, currently assistant principal at Richwoods High School in Peoria, was hired as deputy superintendent for PPS.
District officials have not released the salaries, or other terms of the contracts they reached with Bell and Andrews. Kherat earned a base salary of almost $323,000 during the 2024-2025 school year, according to the PPS website.
Five of the seven board members voted for Bell and Andrews. Two members, Christina Rose and Brenda Wilson, abstained saying the selection process lacked transparency.
Wilson said of the 14 applicants, the search firm released to her information on just four of the candidates.
Despite their votes, Rose and Wilson pledged to work with the new administrators.
Voting with the majority was School Board President Gregory Wilson.
“Their combined expertise, dedication, and understanding of our community’s needs will ensure a bright future for our students and staff,” Wilson said of Bell and Andrews in a prepared statement.
You can watch 25News – any newscast, anywhere – streaming LIVE on 25NewsNow.com, our 25News mobile app, and on our WEEK 25News SmartTV streaming app. Learn more about how you can get connected to 25News streaming live news here.
Copyright 2026 WEEK. All rights reserved.