Scott DeBernardo

Relentless Ally

Seeing the Big Picture in K-12 Construction

If G.K. Chesterton was correct, and “education is the soul of a society as it passes from one generation to another,” then the builders who support this community-minded mission must do so with true personal care, fervent accountability and uncompromising commitments to safety.

Senior Superintendent Scott DeBernardo exemplifies this responsibility through a leadership style grounded in vision, coordination and an unwavering focus on the big picture. Over decades of experience, he has left an indelible mark on the education landscapes of Wake and Durham counties in North Carolina, leading teams that build not just schools, but stronger communities.

Seeing the Big Picture

Scott’s true strength as a K-12 construction expert lies in his ability to tackle even the most complex projects with calm leadership and effective problem solving. Across his career, he has led work ranging from rapid summer renovations to campus conversions to ground-up construction—each requiring a holistic understanding of both logistics and community impact.

On a recent Wake County Public Schools project, Scott and his team faced the challenge of renovating a middle school that shared a campus—and even an entrance—with an occupied elementary school. Delivering this project safely required exceptional coordination and deep client partnership.

“It’s not a simple process, but at the end of the day, it really is just caring enough about our client and community to do the up-front work of communication and coordination,” Scott explains. “We knew and analyzed bus schedules, parent pick-up patterns, walking traffic and more, and created a plan to keep construction activity away from the community.”

The result: a safe environment for students, staff and families achieved through proactive planning and a commitment to seeing beyond the jobsite itself.

Complex Challenges, Strategic Solutions

“Big picture” thinking extends beyond schedule logistics and into technical problem solving. On the Durham Public Schools School of the Arts project, Scott’s team inherited a construction site with very challenging slopes and elevation changes. Four buildings on this project required deep excavations and large foundation walls, so Scott and the team immediately went to work.

Rather than wait to implement a more costly reaction, Scott leveraged early collaboration and strong industry partnerships to pivot quickly and bring in specialized expertise. Early solution identification also gave the team more time to work the amended designs into the project’s long-term budget, minimizing its overall impact.

“Like suppliers, trade partners often specialize in K-12 work, but for something like complex structural shoring, we have to look outside the market,” Scott says. “Balfour Beatty has strong partnerships, so we expanded the team to best serve Durham Public Schools.”

Delivering for Communities

From coordinating daily school operations to navigating unexpected engineering challenges, Scott’s approach reflects a broader truth: successful K-12 construction requires more than technical execution. Building successful schools on controlled budgets and schedules requires foresight, relationship-driven collaboration and industry partners with a shared commitment to excellence.

Through big-picture leadership, Scott helps deliver educational environments that are safe, functional and built to support future generations.