JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – One year and two nationwide searches later, the Duval County School Board has finally named a new superintendent for Duval County Public Schools.
The board members voted unanimously Thursday morning to choose Dr. Christopher Bernier, the former superintendent of Lee County Schools in Florida, to be the next leader of DCPS.
Bernier said he’s humbled and excited about the future and he’s already looking to make connections with local leaders.
“Why wouldn’t you want a job like the one that’s available in Duval. Challenges are part of what superintendents and their team and their school boards tackle together, along with the input and the value of community that is Duval County. Duval does have great things going on. I think sometimes in the midst of some of the other things that have been transpiring, some of that message gets lost about some of the wonderful things that are happening with our students, their paths to graduation, and post-graduation. So, this is an amazing opportunity and a chance to continue to grow as a superintendent, and do the best work possible on behalf of the students in this community.”
Bernier served as Lee County’s superintendent from 2022 through this year. He resigned early last month, two days after applying for the superintendent job in Duval County. Lee County has 100,000 students, compared to Duval’s roughly 130,000.
Bernier’s resume says he led the planning for Hurricane Ian (which devastated Lee County), improved student safety by adopting the Florida Guardian program, and boosted employee salary and compensation by 14.5% in two years.
The community had a chance to meet Bernier, and fellow finalist Dr. Daniel Smith in person last week. Both candidates were asked to address a number of topics including but not limited to budgeting, student achievement, and their personal ethics.
“Those ethical dilemmas have to be handled with integrity, and that’s my non-negotiable,” Bernier said. “I believe that if you sacrifice your integrity as an educator, you’re done leading. Integrity is the non-negotiable, but it doesn’t make the next part easy, but it makes it easier.”
Smith is currently chief of staff for Loudon County Public Schools in Virginia, which has more than 80,000 students.
In the end, it was Bernier’s experience, particularly in Florida, that tilted the board in his favor.
The board suggested some of the feedback they received on the candidates suggested a divided community — and they urged people to support the board’s choice for the sake of the students because at the end of the day, everyone who cares about this decision also cares about the students.
“Your passionate engagement as a community and thoughtful contributions have been instrumental in shaping (our decision),” School Board Chair Darryl Willie said. “But now it’s imperative that we channel this collective energy into forging a united path forward. Regardless of whatever perspective you came in from, it’s time to rally around the shared objective. And that objective is to provide unparalleled education and unwavering support for our students.”
Bernier will begin work July 1 and will almost immediately have to tackle serious issues facing the county. One of the biggest projects he will inherit is a proposed plan to close or combine dozens of Duval County schools.
Interactive Map: Duval County School Board’s proposal to close & realign schools
The district is already holding public meetings to get input from the community.
Earlier this week, parents and residents packed Fletcher High School for the first of several community meetings. The district says while nothing is set in stone and there will not be a decision anytime soon, many parents have spoken out against the plan.
“We are not pleased with the Master Facility proposal as it is today,” Colleen November said. “We hope they understand that we want change to the proposal as it is, and we want to make sure it makes fiscal sense and makes sense for the students and their learning.”
Bernier will also need to address concerns regarding student safety, training, and misconduct reporting. Much of it centers around the scandal at Douglas Anderson School of the Arts, which ultimately led to Dr. Diana Greene’s resignation. This month, the Florida Department of Education sent a letter to the district demanding answers about student safety in the classroom.