- Brevard Public Schools announced Dr. Robert Schiller as interim superintendent
- Schiller was unanimously approved by school board members, earning the role over finalists Mark Rendell and James Larsen
- Schiller holds extensive experience in K-12 administration, with past positions in the Los Angeles Unified School District and Baltimore City Public Schools
- Outgoing superintendent Mark Mullins agreed to enter exit negotiations after a majority of the county school board introduced a motion to seek new leadership
Brevard Public Schools announced that it has hired Dr. Robert Schiller as interim superintendent. Schiller is set to succeed the ousted Mark Mullins at the start of the calendar year once his resignation is confirmed.
Schiller was unanimously approved by school board members, earning the role over finalists Mark Rendell and James Larsen.
“I am thrilled and honored to be a part of the BPS staff and the Brevard community,” said Schiller. “We will work tirelessly to provide an excellent education for our students and an excellent environment for our employees.”
Schiller holds a long list of experience in K-12 academia, serving various administrative roles in some of the nation’s largest school districts. Schiller’s prior positions include interim senior deputy superintendent for the Los Angeles Unified School District and interim chief executive officer and chief financial officer for Baltimore City Public Schools.
“Dr. Schiller comes to Brevard as an accomplished educational leader. His fundamental values, interpersonal skills, and collaborative leadership style make him the right person for the job during this period of transition,” said Brevard School Board Chair Matt Susin.
Mullins agreed to enter exit negotiations with district attorneys in November after Susin and two additional board members — Gene Trent and Megan Wright — coalesced to form a majority vote to remove him from his position.
“One of the things that has become very apparent is that we have a lot of issues within our district. We are having them with leaders, we are having them with teachers, and we are having them with students,” said Vice Chair Wright. “We have lost our way to some degree. We have lost our focus on what we are doing, and I believe we are only as strong as our leaders are.”
According to the Brevard Public Schools website, Mullins led the district’s 2021 accreditation process by earning 345 points on a scale of 100-400, a marked increase from the 250 scoring the district earned during the 2016 accreditation process.
Furthermore, Mullins initiated and oversaw the launch of Thrive by Five, a community-wide early literacy initiative, and maintained an “A-rated” district distinction since his appointment in 2018.
State Rep. Randy Fine, who represents the area in the state legislature, praised the move on Facebook, stating that he looks forward to meeting with the new board to “restore quality education in Brevard.”
The dissenting votes were outspoken against the measure, alleging that Mullins’ removal was a calculated move contingent upon Susin’s installation as School Board Chair.
“This Board Chair … was explicitly telling members of the community within his political party that he is going to throw out our superintendent the second he becomes Board Chair,” said board member Jennifer Jenkins in a media appearance on WKMG News 6 following the meeting.