The South Whidbey School Board has narrowed the field of 18 applicants to replace outgoing District Superintendent Fred McCarthy down to five.

The school board met in a private session Monday night that stretched for more than two hours as they reviewed the application packets for the candidates.

After the closed-door meeting, the school board reconvened in a public session to give guidance to McPherson & Jacobson, the executive search firm hired by the school district to find a new superintendent. The consultants will now set up interviews for the five semifinalists, which will take place on May 7.

District officials declined to name the five semi-finalists.

The field of applicants included 10 from Washington state, with the rest from Oregon, Pennsylvania, New York and Saudi Arabia. Twelve men and six women applied for the job.

After the interviews on May 7, district officials expect to pick two or three finalists. The finalists will be invited back to spend a day on South Whidbey in  mid-May.

McCarthy is retiring from his job as chief of schools at the end of June.