By Jason Cannon

news@demopolistimes.com

The search for Demopolis’ next superintendent of education has hit the backstretch. The names of the seven candidates interviewing this week for the superintendent of education vacancy were released Monday.

The candidates are:

Tony Ball, director of operations, Scottsboro (Ala.) City Schools

Eddie Tyler, assistant superintendent for supportive services, Baldwin County (Ala.) School System.

Dr. Spurgeon Banyard, principal of A.H. Parker High School, Birmingham (Ala.) City Schools.

Joyce Bishop, assistant superintendent, Albertville (Ala.) City Schools.

Dr. Robert A. Griffin, principal, Goshen (Ala.) High School, Pike County Schools.

Dr. Tony Speegle, principal, U.S. Jones Elementary School, Demopolis.

Frank Stegall, superintendent of Hale County (Ala.) Schools.

Interviews will begin Wednesday at 3 p.m. and will continue through Friday at 5 p.m. and each are open to the public.

Dr. Neil Hyche, interim superintendent of education, said he was pleased with the applicant pool and has briefly met with each of the candidates.

“I traveled to each of their schools or their offices and met with them all, one-on-one,” Hyche said, “and all but two of them have traveled to Demopolis and met with me, and I gave them a tour of the city.”

Hyche noted that one of the candidates could not arrange their schedule to accommodate travel while another was already familiar with the area.

The candidates will interview with members of the board of education beginning Wednesday at 3 p.m. Interviews will continue through Friday. The interview schedule is as follows:

Joyce Bishop, Wednesday at 3 p.m.

Tony Ball, Wednesday at 4 p.m.

Eddie Tyler, Wednesday at 5 p.m.

Dr. Spurgeon Banyard, Thursday at 3 p.m.

Dr. Robert Griffin, Thursday at 4 p.m.

Dr. Tony Speegle, Friday at 3 p.m.

Frank Stegall, Friday at 4 p.m.

“The board will have a list of about 20 questions,” Hyche said, “and we had six questions submitted from the public.”

Interviews will be conducted in the board room at the board of education office.