City Schools of Decatur Administrative Offices. Photo by Dena Mellick

This story has been updated. 

The City Schools of Decatur Board of Education met in a closed meeting on the morning of Sept. 24, but did not name a candidate to replace outgoing Superintendent Phyllis Edwards.

The board will meet again next Friday, Oct. 2, and could announce finalists then. It was expected the board would announce one or more finalists this morning, but the board didn’t mention any names. The board adjourned after spending more than an hour in a closed-door meeting, and looked tired as they left the dais.

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The board has been interviewing candidates for several weeks. Edwards’ contract is up at the end of this year.

After the meeting School Board Chairman Garrett Goebel said the board is still deliberating on finalists and is considering “scenarios which could result in one, two or three candidates.”

“Some of that is out of the control of the board,” Goebel added. When Decaturish asked him to elaborate, he said, “Other people might be involved in more than one (superintendent) search.”

Decaturish asked if any of the potential finalists had withdrawn their application.

“I don’t know if I can answer that question,” Goebel said.

He added, “We’re trying to balance the qualities of the candidate, the leadership profile and what’s the best fit for the City Schools of Decatur.”