By Cate Lecuyer
BEVERLY — Superintendent finalist Marie Doyle withdrew from the job search late Monday night, leaving the School Committee with four potential leaders to replace James Hayes when he leaves in June.
"She was juggling a few final decisions," said School Committee Vice President Maria Decker, who has been handling the search.
The committee sped up the process and plans to pick someone on Friday because many of the candidates are also being sought by other districts.
Doyle, the superintendent of Carlisle Public Schools, is the No. 1 choice for the Longmeadow Public School District. She was also was named a finalist in the Groton Dunstable Regional School District and Tewksbury Public Schools.
She's not the only one with options, however.
Candidate John O'Connor, superintendent of the Dover, N.H., school district, is also a top choice in Tewksbury.
And candidate Wayne Woolridge, co-superintendent of School Administrative Unit 29 in New Hampshire, a group of seven New Hampshire school districts, is a finalist in Sutton public schools.
Woolridge and O'Connor, along with Beverly Assistant Superintendent Marie Galinski, are scheduled to tour Beverly schools tomorrow and interview with the School Committee later that night.
Marc Kerble, assistant superintendent of Winchester public schools, visited the schools and had an his interview last night.
The position is being advertised as a multiyear contract with competitive benefits and salary. Hayes makes $164,000 a year.
Staff writer Cate Lecuyer can be reached at clecuyer@salem news.com.
