During a special meeting Monday, the Lee County school board agreed to honor District Superintendent Christopher S. Bernier’s request to leave the district immediately.
Bernier will vacate his position as the district’s top administrator effective Tuesday.
Bernier was sworn in as superintendent in May 2022. The following November, 62 percent of Lee County voters decided to no longer have the school boards appoint the superintendent as they have done since the early 1970s. The vote was in favor to make the position partisan.
Under Lee's voter-approved mandate, the only requirement for someone to be considered for the top spot would be residency rules requiring that the candidate must live in Lee County.
In districts where boards appoint superintendents, a candidate's academic credentials and experience in multiple aspects of education tend to play key roles.
So far, two educators from Lee County have filed paperwork to run for the position.
This past fall Bernier declined filing paperwork to seek the soon-to-be elected seat and said partisan-type positions were never his aspiration for his academic career. This winter, Bernier was a finalist for an appointed superintendent position in Omaha, but he did not get the job.
School board members learned Bernier wanted to end his reign over the weekend. In spite of knowing his intentions to no longer serve in Lee County at least past this fall's election, they seemed stunned by the suddenness.
School board chairman Samuel Fisher wrapped up the meeting saying this: "I truly appreciate the service Dr. Bernier has given to this district and the path forward we have now."
Florida and Alabama are the only states that allow a provision to elect superintendents.
A majority of counties in Florida, especially small counties, have elected superintendents. Large counties still appoint.
Until Lee County elects its next superintendent this fall, Pasco County is the largest school district to have partisan superintendent races. Lee County — with nearly 100,000 children in the public school system — is the 9th largest district in the state and 32nd largest in the country.
Bernier made $275,400 a year. Under the contract separation agreement approved by the board Monday, he would continue to get paid for the next 20 months and serve in an advisory role as needed.
The board on Monday voted 5 to 2 to appoint have the board attorney to enter into contract with Ken Savage to serve as interim superintendent.
Savage, who has been with the district for many years, previously served as interim superintendent prior to Bernier’s appointment.
Savage is expected to be sworn in during another special board meeting late Tuesday morning.
"We're going to need to continue the good work of this district," Fisher said.
WGCU is your trusted source for news and information in Southwest Florida. We are a nonprofit public service, and your support is more critical than ever. Keep public media strong and donate now. Thank you.