The board reviewed candidates’ qualifications at an executive session on Wednesday, the district announced Friday. Afterward, trustees forwarded four names on for further consideration during an open meeting.

Finalists include:

• Karla LaOrange, chair of the Teacher Education Department at Brigham Young University-Idaho.
• Chad Martin, director of secondary education at Jefferson. He is now Jefferson’s interim superintendent.
• Sarah Sanders, assistant superintendent of secondary education at the Idaho Falls School District.
• Joel Wilson, superintendent of the Butte County School Distirct. Wilson was also a recent superintendent finalist in the Shelley School District.

“I’m very impressed with the number and the quality of the applicants,” Jefferson trustee Leon Clark said in a statement. “I feel very confident that we will be able to select a highly qualified educational leader for our district.”

One of the candidates will replace former Jefferson Superintendent Lisa Sherick, who retired earlier this month. Sherick led the district for more than four years, overseeing consistent population growth. Jefferson County grew from 5,106 to 5,901 students over the past four years. It is now East Idaho’s fourth-largest district.

The board plans to name a new superintendent by the end of February. Sherick has been helping with the search.

Jefferson trustees appointed Martin as interim superintendent until July 1, when one of the finalists will fill the position.