Tuesday, December 3, 2024 – Cleveland – Today, Mayor Justin M. Bibb announced the appointments of three new members to the Cleveland Metropolitan School District (CMSD) Board of Education. Selected from a pool of 42 applicants, the new board members will fill vacancies created by the resignations of Leah Hudnall, Robert Heard and Denise Link earlier this year.
“I am delighted to welcome Caroline Peak, Jerry Billups and Pastor Ivory Jones to the Board of Education,” said Mayor Justin M. Bibb. “Their fresh perspectives, dedication to education and commitment to our community will help us build on our progress and shape CMSD’s future. Together, we will continue to strengthen our schools and create opportunities for students across the district.”
Caroline J. Peak was selected to fill the seat left vacant by Mr. Heard and will serve out the unexpired term ending on June 30, 2025.
Recently retired from her role as a public service manager at Cleveland Public Library, Ms. Peak has lived in the district for 44 years and has three children who attended CMSD schools. She is a longtime volunteer in the district, serving on multiple committees including two terms on the Bond Accountability Commission, the Superintendents Advisory Board, multiple PTAs and School Community Councils.
With decades of experience in community development, education, and literacy, Ms. Peak seeks to engage with families and prioritize policies that focus on improving communication, promoting equity, and ensuring that scholars and educators are well supported and have opportunities for learning and growth.
Ms. Peak has a master's degree in library science from Kent State University, a bachelor’s degree in liberal arts from Meyers University and an associate degree in business from Cuyahoga Community College.
Jerry Terrell Billups will fill Ms. Hudnall’s vacant seat and finish the term ending June 30, 2027.
Mr. Billups is a John Marshall High School alumnus and holds a Bachelor of Applied Science from University of Toledo. He is a lifelong Cleveland resident and has four children, three currently attending CMSD schools and one CMSD graduate. From teaching neighborhood kids about gardening and growing produce to serving as a wrestling coach and volunteering at football games, he is deeply engaged with grassroots community service. Mr. Billups, along with his children, are also active members of the Ward 16 club, led by Councilman Brian Kazy.
In his current role as the juvenile detention alternative initiative coordinator at Cuyahoga County Juvenile Court Mr. Billups is focused on connecting youth to the services they need and cultivating relationships with community partners. He also facilitates the Resident Advisory Committee, which gives residents in the detention center an opportunity to share information and voice concerns. A juvenile court employee for nearly 15 years, Mr. Billups is also heavily engaged with programs that seek to improve youth mental health as well as violence interruption work.
Pastor Ivory Jones III was selected for Ms. Link’s seat, which also expires at the end of June 2027.
A civic leader focused on social change and education, Rev. Jones has been a pastor in the Cleveland community for 32 years. He is an executive board member and a state officer for the National Baptist Convention and is active in various clergy organizations, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) and the NAACP.
Pastor Jones has lived in the district for 33 years and his three children attended CMSD schools. Currently, Rev, Jones leads the congregation at Grace Missionary Baptist Church in the Mt. Pleasant neighborhood. Before being called to the ministry, he studied commercial arts and graphic design at Cuyahoga Community College and Cleveland Institute of Art. He attended both Cleveland and East Cleveland public schools and is a 1986 graduate of Shaw High School. In 2011 he was awarded a Doctor of Divinity from the Liberty Baptist District Association.
The CMSD Board of Education serves as the governing body of the school district and is tasked with setting policy, approving budget, establishing goals and accountability standards, promoting parent, family and community involvement, and appointing the CEO with the Mayor’s concurrence. An eleven-member panel nominates candidates for each Board vacancy to the Mayor, who makes the final appointment.
The new mayoral appointees will be sworn in prior to the next Board of Education meeting on December 10, 2024.The appointments come on the heels of the successful passage of Issue 49, which will raise roughly $49 million each year for the district, as well as CMSD’s first-ever three-star rating on the Ohio School Report Card.
