FRANKLIN—School Board Chairman Bill Scarboro said he hopes the board will come to a decision about who to hire as superintendent by Jan. 1.

In a statement released Friday, Scarboro detailed the progress of the board’s search.

“The Board continues working diligently on the search for a new superintendent for Franklin schools,” he said. “We are meeting several times a month on this and other responsibilities, with meetings often lasting late into the night.”

Twelve people applied for the position and Scarboro said the finalist list was narrowed down to “at least six.”

The first series of interviews is now complete, he said.

“During the first round of interviews, the candidates found our panel interview process to be very powerful and thorough…It was a telling process that sought out the candidate’s educational and professional experiences with respect to their performance, reactions, successes, and even personal challenges.”

While the names of the candidates have yet to be revealed, the list includes current or former superintendents, central office administrators, and at least one building-level principal.

Four of the 12 original applicants are from outside Virginia.

“At present, board members are preparing for the next round of interviews,” Scarboro said. “During this interview stage, we will want to answer questions that the candidate may have for us about our schools and community.”

If the candidates make it through that round, the board will do further investigation. “Surreptitious visits to a candidate’s community and school as well as detailed background checks are all a part of our endeavors,” Scarboro said.

According to Scarboro’s statement, the next round of interviews will start after the holiday break.

“We will be conducting the second round of interviews after Christmas,” he said. “The board has never been as united, purposeful and steadfast in such an effort. The school board is excited about bringing new leadership to our schools.”

Assistant Superintendent Rick Clemons said employees at the school division’s central office are ready to meet their new boss.

“We are all anxious,” he said. “We’ve been without a superintendent for a while. I think people are anticipatory of what the new superintendent will bring to help improve the school system.”