The Peoria Unified Governing Board unanimously approved a three-year contract for Kenneth Christopher “KC” Somers, to become Peoria Unified’s next superintendent.

The contract begins July 1, 2024 and runs through June 30, 2027. His salary will be $245,000.

“It is going to be an absolute honor and privilege to work for and alongside all of you and I eagerly look forward to continuing that focus and collaborative efforts into the future,” Somers said.

The governing board also approved a transitional contract for Somers that will allow him to join Peoria Unified on April 1, 2024, prior to the start of his three-year contract. During this transition time, he will serve as assistant to the superintendent, working alongside Kevin Molino, the district’s current acting superintendent, through June 30, 2024, when his three-year superintendent contract will then take effect.

Appointing a superintendent is one of the primary jobs of the governing board. The Peoria Unified board considered feedback from all stakeholders and followed a prescribed process outlined by consultant McPherson & Jacobson, LLC.

PUSD officials said the process was rigorous and included the voices of students, teachers, support staff, administrators, parents and community members. In November, the governing board unanimously voted to enter into contract negotiations with Somers as the next superintendent.

Somers will join Peoria Unified from the Lewis-Palmer School District in Monument, Colorado, where he has been serving as their superintendent for the past five years. During his tenure, he took an academic-first approach which has led the district to perform in the top five percent of all Colorado schools, according to a news release.

Prior to this appointment, he served in a variety of roles in school districts across Colorado including as the Area Superintendent of Aurora Public Schools. Somers earned his doctorate in education from the University of Phoenix in 2013. Additionally, he earned his master’s degree in education from the American Intercontinental University and his bachelor of arts in Psychology from University of Notre Dame.

PUSD President David Sandoval thanked the district's students, teachers, staff and community for being a part of this process.

"Your voices are invaluable. Your input is invaluable without question,” he siad. "And I also want to thank my fellow board members. There were a lot of meetings that took place between board meetings, and a lot of time that was spent as we went through the contract process, so thank you all.”