THE SELMA TIMES-JOURNAL

Each of them said they feel the community’s desire to have good schools.

Tuesday’s reception gave the four candidates a chance to mingle, but tonight’s interviews will be more formal. The school board had selected five finalists but one of them, Brenda Seals of Virginia, withdrew. She informed school officials Tuesday by letter.

The interview process begins at 4 p.m. and is expected to continue through 11 p.m.

The other four seemed enthusiastic about the position. &8220;I’m ready for it,&8221; said Kenneth Oliver,

principal of Booker T. Washington High School in Tuskegee and one of the prospects.

A product of Dallas County, he joins Donald Jefferson as the two candidates with local ties.

The new superintendent will take over, replacing Dr. James Carter, who headed city schools for 17 years. The system has 4,100 students and a budget of $37 million. School officials hope to have a new superintendent in place after the first of the year.

Oliver, 42, is the youngest of the four candidates. He is a native of Tyler.

Jefferson, 50, is a native of Selma, works for the Alabama Department of Education. He said he gets teary-eyed thinking about his humble beginnings and the chance to leading the system that helped prepare him for the opportunity.

About 100 teachers, administrators and parents greeted the four candidates vying to become the next superintendent of Selma City Schools during a reception at the Selma-Dallas County Public Library.

The public is welcome to participate in today’s interviews, but those with questions must clear them through school board Chairman John Williams.