Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

The Albert Lea school board will have a special meeting Friday regarding the hiring of an interim superintendent.

Board Chairwoman Kim Nelson said a committee of three board members will meet with two external candidates on Thursday and come back to the full board on Friday with a recommendation.

After hearing the recommendations, the board at that time is expected to select a candidate to hire as the interim.

The action comes as the board parted ways with Superintendent Ron Wagner earlier in December, voting to place him on paid administrative leave through the end of June and to let his contract expire without renewal.

Once the interim is in place, the board will work with the Minnesota School Board Association later in January to begin the search process for a full-time replacement. That process will be more extensive, Nelson said, with times for more public involvement.

The meeting on Friday is slated to take place at 10 a.m. in the board room of the district office, 211 W. Richway Drive.