It will take three days to interview the five candidates for Covington County Schools superintendent. Candidates will be interviewed in alphabetical order beginning on Tuesday, said Hank Jones, consultant with the Alabama Association of School Boards (AASB).

“Interviews will be done in the (central office) boardroom, and of course, are open to the public.” Jones said. “Each interview should last approximately 1 ½ hours.  The board will participate in the interview process, and they will all ask questions.”

Jones said the schedule is as follows:

• On Tuesday, Shannon Driver, Straughn High School principal, at 4:30 p.m.

• On Wednesday, Dr. Michael Hall, Banks School principal (Pike County) at 4:30 p.m.; a 15-minute break; and then, Craig Nichols, Pleasant Home principal, at 6:15 p.m.

• On Thursday, Donny Powell, Florala High School principal, at 4:30 p.m.; a 15-minute break; and then, Dr. Craig Ross, Robertsdale High School principal (Baldwin County) at 6:15 p.m.

School board member Lynda Powell said Thursday she hopes the public takes advantage of the open interviews.

“It’s always been (the board’s) goal to get the very best person we can for the students, faculty and staff of the Covington County Schools,” Powell said. “It’s not an easy process. I’ve enjoyed that the AASB were the ones to select the candidates. I hope that goes a long way in alleviating the perception that (choosing a superintendent) is a done deal. It’s not. We’ve got five candidates that have to go through the interview process.

“I was proud of the fact that three (candidates) were within in our system,” she said. “I think that speaks a lot for our system.

“I’m just anxious to see the process through to the end,” she said.

The new superintendent will be named on May 13 and begin the post the first week of June.