JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Dr. Christopher Bernier will start his contract as Duval County Public Schools’ new superintendent on Monday after a lengthy search and contract negotiations.
Bernier agreed to a $320,000 annual salary under his four-year contract with the district, making him the fifth highest-paid superintendent in Florida.
Originally, he asked for $350,000 with additional perks from the district.
He used to be the superintendent of Lee County Schools in Fort Myers before coming to Duval.
In this new position, he’ll have to deal with a series of challenges DCPS is facing:
- Declining enrollment, which has led to a $1.4 billion budget gap
- Possible school closures
- Reduction in staff of up to 700 positions
Student safety is also a pressing issue as DCPS released a new student safety plan to protect kids from predators.
It’s in response to multiple allegations of abuse at Douglas Anderson School of the Arts.
Jeffery Clayton, a long-time teacher at the school, was sentenced to 10 years in prison, for crimes relating to touching and grooming a student.
Several other claims of abuse accusations were unveiled following Clayton’s arrest.
RELATED: Former Douglas Anderson student, advocate questions district’s new proposed student safety plan
The new safety plan outlines areas of improvement and sets deadlines for when those should be put in place.
Bernier shared his thoughts on the plan in a statement.
“The plan represents essential steps to address past incidents and prevent future incidents. Proper implementation will be critical to ensure student safety as we move forward,” Bernier said.
His contract runs through 2028.