Nonprofit Mississippi News: The Jackson Public Schools District has narrowed down the list of candidates for its next leader. Members of the public will be able to meet them this week. The district announced Monday that Dana Bedden and Errick Greene would be interviewing for the job in Jackson. Bedden and Associates is an education consulting firm based in Richmond, Va. Bedden is the chief executive officer of Bedden and Associates. He was previously the superintendent of Richmond and Irving in Texas. Greene is currently the chief of schools at Tulsa Public Schools, Oklahoma. He also previously served as special assistant for emergency managers in Detroit Public Schools. According to the release, Greene was also a principal for 10 years and then an instructional superintendent in District of Columbia Public Schools. According to the release, Simington is the Winston-Salem Forsyth County Schools District’s deputy superintendent. Simington has previously served as principal and in other administrative positions. The search was led by McPherson Jacobson, a search firm. Members of the public will be able to meet the candidates during an informal meet and greet at the boardroom at 621 State Street. To help them navigate the process, the board has paid McPherson Jacobson $24,900. Their contract says McPherson Jacobson will “guarantee that the new superintendent will remain with the district for at least two years.” May 14th was the deadline for applications. JPS spokesperson Sherwin Johnson said that 59 people had submitted an application. The board received 40 completed applications. The Board of Trustees met last week to narrow down the pool of applicants and select finalists. Although the meeting was initially advertised as a chance to meet with chairpersons of stakeholder groups, review applicants, select finalists and schedule interviews, the board quickly moved into executive session. Media members could not attend. A separate Better Together Commission meeting was held Thursday. Ed Sivak, a board member, updated the room about the superintendent search. He said that they had received applications from all over the country and that the school board was looking for finalists to interview this week. Jeanne Hairston, the board chair, stated that each candidate would visit schools and district properties and meet with various groups before an interview with the school board. Freddrick Murray, the current interim superintendent, has led the district through a period full of change. In November 2016, former superintendent Cedrick Gray resigned. JPS was facing a downgrade in accreditation. JPS just received a second consecutive F rating. Murray succeeded him and the district narrowly avoided being taken over by the state in 2017. Instead, Jackson, W.K., was chosen. Kellogg Foundation and Gov. Phil Bryant’s Office announced a partnership with Gov. The board previously stated that they would have a new superintendent in position by July 1.