The Friendswood ISD board of trustees is expected to announce the number of finalists that will move onto a second round of superintendent interviews on the path to replace Superintendent Trish Hanks during a May 11 special meeting.

Six candidates were selected for the first round of interviews, which were held May 9-11. A second round of interviews are scheduled May 15-17.

“We are in the midst of the process, and all is confidential,” FISD board President Rebecca Hillenburg said. “Each board member has the interest of our students first. Each of us realizes the importance of this decision and takes it extremely seriously.”

Candidates were not publicly named, and district officials are also unaware of the candidates due to confidentiality agreements.

The Texas Association of School Boards was contracted for and is spearheading the search, and trustees are conducting candidate interviews.

A sole finalist is expected to be named no later than June 1, Hillenburg said.

“The No. 1 thing that  a school board does is hire a superintendent. They get feedback from the community, but that is the job of the school board. So it is the school board hiring and doing interviews with the applicants,” FISD Communications Director Dayna Owen said.

After a finalist is named, a 21-day waiting period kicks in before the board can vote to approve the superintendent candidate, Owen said. The anticipated date to vote on the candidate is June 15.

Hanks announced her retirement in February after 15 years as superintendent and a total of 32 years at FISD.