The Duval County (Fla.) School Board has picked Deputy Superintendent Dana Kriznar to be interim superintendent while the board conducts a months-long search for a permanent replacement for Diana Greene.
The Florida Times-Union reports that the board voted 5-2 to negotiate terms for Kriznar to lead the district for up to six months.
The 37-year district employee is not expected to seek the job on a permanent basis..
Board Chair Kelly Coker says Kriznar has already scheduled her retirement.
Board members will talk at a workshop next month about how they want the search for a long-term superintendent to play out.
Kriznar said in emailed remarks that "at my core, I am Duval proud and grateful for this opportunity to work with our principals, teachers, and staff in this capacity."
The Jacksonville-based school district has about 129,000 students.
Greene has led the district since 2018, but negotiated her retirement following repeated complaints from state education officials, a critical statewide grand jury report and the emergence of a decades-long chain of teacher misconduct claims at Douglas Anderson School of the Arts. June 2 will be her last day as superintendent.
Kriznar has been Greene’s deputy since 2019, and some board members argued that it would have been better to bring in an outside leader who could help the district address shortcomings and what needs to change.
The board briefly discussed three alternative choices — retired St. Lucie County Superintendent Wayne Gent, attorney and former Florida State College at Jacksonville interim president Kevin Hyde and University of North Florida faculty member Matthew Ohlson — before approving Kriznar.
