LINDEN – The Linden Board of Education is inching closer to finding its next superintendent of education after screening six applicants earlier this week.

Joyce Yeager, Linden board chairwoman, said she would be contacting what the board considered the top three candidates and will schedule them for a final interview session, which will begin at 9 a.m. Friday. Yeager declined to provide the names of the final three, citing that she’d been unable to contact them as of presstime.

“We came away with what we feel are three very strong candidates,” she said. “I was pleased with the quality of the all the candidates.”

Yeager said she was hopeful that by the end of Friday’s session someone would be leaving the meeting room with a job offer.

“That’s what I hope, but we’ll just have to see,” she said.

The first interview will begin at 9 a.m. with the second candidate following at 10 a.m. and the third at 11 a.m.

Monday, the board interviewed George Baldwin, director of Marengo County Technology Center in the Linden City Schools system, Randy Thomley, principal of Winfield Elementary School and Dr. Rhinnie Scott, director of career technical education for the Greene County Board of Education.

Tuesday, Clarence Jackson, principal of Demopolis Middle School, Dr. Tyrone Smith, director of The Opportunity Academy at Riggins School in the Birmingham City Schools system and Joe Peterson, principal of Edgewood Elementary School in the Selma City Schools system took their turn in the hot seat.

Shortly before her interview was set to begin Monday, Dr. Johnna Baker, director of human resources and public relations for the Walker County Board of Education, called and removed her name from consideration.

A detailed account of each candidate can be found at www.demopolistimes.com.