Two finalists picked for Pamlico schools superintendent

BAYBORO -- The Pamlico County Board of Education has chosen two finalists for its superintendent position, and members hope to agree to hire one of the candidates in the next two or three weeks, the chairman said Friday.

Chairman George Robinson would not say who the finalists are or whether either already works for the Pamlico County school system.

When the board held a closed meeting Oct. 27, it narrowed the number of superintendent candidates from 25 to six. Robinson said one Pamlico County school employee was one of the six finalists.

The board held closed meetings Monday, Wednesday and Thursday to interview the six finalists for the system's top job. School staff members were not invited to the meetings.

"If we can make an arrangement with one of the two, it's over," Robinson said. "If not, we'll go on down the list."

Robinson said the board tentatively scheduled a meeting Dec. 8 to hire and announce a superintendent. But he said one the finalists lives in another state, and the board may meet earlier if that person is chosen and still in town.

"Maybe it's the time of year, or maybe it's the quality of the system we have," Robinson said. "But we have two really good candidates. One of them said we're really a cherry and the place to be."

The superintendent search began in late August, when Rick Sherrill left the position after three years to be closer to his sick mother in Burke County. Sherrill is now an assistant superintendent in the Burke County school system.

The Pamlico County school board hired Michael Priddy, a retired former Pitt County superintendent, to serve as interim superintendent during the search for a permanent replacement for Sherrill.