WINTON – The number of likely candidates for Superintendent of Hertford County Public Schools is down to six.

During Monday night’s meeting of the Herford County Board of Education the group announced it will interview six of the 16 applicants for the vacant position.

The position has been vacant since February 1 when former Superintendent Dr. John Fahey resigned to accept a similar position in Virginia. Julius Walker, a retired Superintendent from Washington County, is serving as interim.

Board of Education Chairman David L. Shields said the board will hold interviews April 9 and 10 and will invite six candidates to participate. The board received 16 applications for the job when the deadline closed at the end of February.

“We are looking forward to the interview process and indentifying the next great leader of Hertford County Public Schools,” Shields said.

After the meeting, Shields said the six candidates who were being invited to interview are all external and that no candidates from inside the district are among the finalists. It is not known if there were any applicants from within.

The school board has said they hope to have a new superintendent in place by July 1.