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Dr. Christopher Bernier was selected as the next superintendent of the School District of Lee County during a special Tuesday afternoon meeting.
"I am both honored and grateful to have been selected to lead The School District of Lee County," Bernier said in a prepared statement after being selected. "I am committed to putting our students first and working with the school board to achieve its vision of being a world class school system. I look forward to collaborating with the students, their families and our community and business leaders to positively influence the trajectory of all students to ensure they reach their highest personal potentials."
The School Board still has to vote on an approved contract for the selection of Bernier to become official.
"We are thrilled to have selected a superintendent who embodies all the characteristics the community said was important to them during this process," Board chair Debbie Jordan said in a prepared statement. "Dr. Bernier is the strong leader, decision maker, communicator and consensus builder the district needs. I am thankful to all the staff and community participation in the process and look forward to welcoming him to the School District of Lee County."
The board provided a consensus that they would like the board attorney to negotiate a sooner, rather than a later, time frame of July for Bernier to start as the new superintendent.
Bernier will replace Dr. Ken Savage, who was appointed as interim superintendent after Dr. Greg Adkins retired in June 2021. According to Savage’s contract, he can continue working with the district in another position.
Before the board took a vote, they completed a matrix of which candidate they favored, which resulted in five votes for Bernier and two votes for Michael Ramirez during a Monday meeting. The third candidate, Randy Mahlerwein, withdrew prior to the final interview process due to professional and personal reasons.
Board member Chris Patricca said she believes the rubric and matrix that they used almost perfectly mirrored the feedback she received from the community.
“This entire process has been amazing to me that this board has been on the same page as the community. We have two candidates that are good and can do the job. The position is an absolutely beautiful position to be in. To me it comes down to budget expertise. The way that Dr. Bernier went through the budget process annually was very impressive to me,” she said.
The vote to bring Bernier on as the new superintendent passed 6-1 with Board member Melisa Giovannelli opposed.
“I am having a really hard time because I really feel we should be waiting, but I don’t think this board wants to wait,” she said of waiting until they hear what is happening with pending legislation of having elected superintendents. “I may reserve and vote no today on a candidate in general. I think we need to be listening to the community and wait and at that point determine and hire a superintendent at that period of time once we get past that hurdle.”
Republican Jenna Persons-Mulicka has sponsored a bill that would provide for an elected superintendent of schools in a partisan election with a term of four years. If approved by voters, this would take place in 2024.
Bernier is currently the chief of staff for the Clark County School District in Las Vegas, Nevada, which is the fifth largest school district in the nation with 310,000 students and an annual budget of $5.3 billion. Before he took that position, he spent 32 years with Orange County Public Schools in Orlando in a variety of positions ranging from teacher to associate superintendent.
During the board panel interview Monday afternoon Bernier was asked to provide adjectives about himself that four different groups of individuals would give him. Some of those included direct, honest, fair, supportive, understanding, respectful and open.
Another question asked revolved around the chain of command, which he said is a difficult topic for him, as organizational charts drive him crazy. Bernier’s approach is a team approach, having people work with him. If selected, he said he would take time to set up meetings with all the chiefs of the district.
“Trust is a bank account. I have to make deposits with them long before I make any type of withdrawal,” he said.
He thanked the board during his final comments about giving him the opportunity.
“I appreciate the opportunity,” Bernier said. “I can’t thank you enough, the individual time with all of you. That was the most valuable process for me. We turned it into a conversation. It’s the dialogue, which is the rich part of the conversation.”
He went on to tell the board that the position represents an opportunity for him as a chance to continue his dedicated service to students, which he has spent a lifetime pursuing.
“We share common values and an aligned vision because we believe all students have the opportunity to succeed. I came to Lee and put my name into Lee because you have a strategic plan that puts children first. I think Lee County represents an amazing time for me,” Bernier said. “This position for me is the best opportunity to make a meaningful impact. The position will allow me to help you and the school district to continue to accomplish the right path and I look forward to providing additional enhancements.”
He said after exiting I-75 and coming into the greater Fort Myers area, “both Debra and I had a sense of being home. You will see me dig in and work to earn the community trust and respect.”
Board member Cathleen O'Daniel Morgan said she choose Bernier because he was a more seasoned candidate.
“I had more confidence that he would be ready to come in and have the experience and skill set necessary to hit the ground running,” she said.