Administrators will begin screening 14 applicants to become the next Free State High School principal.

The pool of candidates represents Kansas and two other states, said David Cunningham, the Lawrence school district’s division director of human resources for certified personnel.

“We have a range of applications there in terms of experience and educational backgrounds, so it was a pretty good mix,” Cunningham said.

Administrators are looking to replace the high school’s first and only principal, Joe Snyder, who will retire at the end of the school year.

Citing district precedent, Cunningham declined to release specific information about the applicants, including how many come from inside or outside the district. He did say the group includes a mix of current principals, assistant principals, other administrators and teachers.

Lawrence district administrators will narrow the list of those to interview. Then only a few candidates will meet Free State staff members, students and parents, who will consult with Superintendent Randy Weseman.

Weseman will then select the new principal, and he hopes to finish the process this month.