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Parents urge board to appoint longtime mentor Orlando Edwards as head coach; administration says committee selected top candidate
Summary
Multiple parents urged the board to hire coach Orlando Edwards for a high‑school head coach role, praising his mentorship of hundreds of students; district leaders said a selection committee interviewed five candidates and named Ryan McElmurry the top candidate on the agenda.
Three parents addressed the Peoria Public Schools Board of Education to urge that Orlando Edwards be appointed head coach at Peoria High, saying he has mentored more than 200 youth and changed lives through discipline and community support.
"Coach Orlando Edwards has shown unmatched dedication, commitment and leadership to these boys for years," parent Cheryl McGlossom said during the public comment period. Another parent, Nina Humphrey, said Edwards is "always a phone call away" and urged the board to give him the opportunity to lead as head coach.
Amelia Behrends said Edwards' work goes beyond wins: "These boys are not just learning how to play the game, they are learning discipline, respect, accountability and how to dream bigger than their circumstances." She said more than 200 kids have come through his program across District 150 and surrounding communities.
In response, district leaders thanked parents for their advocacy and explained the hiring process. Superintendent's office staff and the administration said the vacancy was posted March 2–18, five candidates were interviewed and the buildings-and-grounds/selection committee used a rubric to select a top candidate. "The committee has selected Ryan McElmurry as the top candidate," an administrator said; that candidate was listed on the board agenda for the meeting.
The board did not take an immediate vote to change the committee selection. Officials said the process was handled by a committee and that parents should continue to advocate, noting the committee-based process meant opportunities could arise in the future.
Next steps: the committee selection will remain on the agenda per the posted process; parents may continue to engage with the district on coaching assignments and future openings.
