The Lawrence school district has announced the names of three finalists for its open superintendent position.

The finalists are Kyle Hayden of Lawrence, Shellaine Kiblinger of Hutchinson and Michael Munoz of Rochester, Minn.

Hayden is currently assistant superintendent of business and operations for the Lawrence school district. Kiblinger is superintendent of the Hutchinson school district, and Munoz is superintendent of the Rochester school district.

The Lawrence school board met in a closed executive session Friday evening to determine the finalists. School board President Vanessa Sanburn was happy with the outcome.

“We’re pleased with the quality of applicants and we’re excited to get to know more about each of them in the next process,” Sanburn said after the board adjourned following about an hour of deliberation.

The district hired the national firm McPherson and Jacobson to assist in its search for a new superintendent. Consultants with the firm called finalists Friday evening to arrange for a second round of interviews for Monday and Tuesday.

Current Lawrence Superintendent Rick Doll, 61, announced in November that he would resign his position at the end of the school year. Doll has accepted a full-time position as associate professor and executive director of the Kansas Educational Leadership Institute at Kansas State University.

The district received 28 applicants to the position, and board members narrowed those candidates down to seven semifinalists earlier this week. Names of the semifinalists were not made available to the public. The semifinalist candidates were interviewed Thursday and Friday.

Previous to his current position in Lawrence, Hayden was superintendent of the Tonganoxie school district. Hayden earned his bachelor’s degree from Tabor College, his master’s from Emporia State University and his district leadership license from Fort Hays State University.

Kiblinger was an assistant superintendent in Garden City before taking her position in Hutchinson. She earned her associate degree from Independence Community College, bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Pittsburg State University and her doctorate of education from Kansas State University.

Prior to his current position, Munoz was executive director of Des Moines, Iowa, public schools. Munoz earned his bachelor’s degree at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln, his master’s at Chadron State College in Chadron, Neb., and his district leadership license at Iowa State University.

On Monday and Tuesday, each finalist will meet separately with focus groups of district staff, community members and students whom the board selected. Sanburn said the input from the constituent groups is an important stage of the process.

“It’ll be interesting to hear how our staff and community and students feel about the candidates that we’ve selected, because that will certainly be an integral part of our decision,” she said.

The final candidates will also take part in another round of in-depth interviews with the board on Monday and Tuesday. An optional tour of the district will be offered to candidates and their spouses.

“I’m looking forward to kind of digging in a little bit deeper with each of the candidates, as I think the rest of the board is as well,” Sanburn said.

The board will announce its final decision by Friday, March 11.