3 finalists for superintendent

LIBERTY — Three local school principals have made the final list of candidates to replace Lawrence C. Prince as superintendent of the Liberty schools.

The board of education narrowed the list of candidates to just three this week and will conduct interviews with all the finalists beginning at 4 p.m. Monday.

The candidates are:

U John Wilson, principal of Washington Center Alternative School in the Warren city schools and the district’s executive director of development and community outreach.

U Maria Pappas, principal of Paul C. Bunn Elementary in Youngstown.

U Mark Lucas, principal of William S. Guy Middle School in Liberty.

The board went to the public, holding special meetings to ask residents’ help in determining the qualifications for the next superintendent. Armed with that background, the board enlisted the help of the Trumbull County Educational Service Center in conducting the candidate search.

Prince plans to retire effective June 30, and the Liberty board intends to have a replacement named by June 1, said Victoria Giovangnoli, associate superintendent of the Trumbull County Educational Service Center.

Prince, with 38 years in education, served 23 of those years in the Liberty schools, the last nine as superintendent.