The Scotland County School Board was no closer to naming a new superintendent at the conclusion of a closed door session than at the meeting's start.

At the three-hour meeting Wednesday, which took place in the office of Nick Sojka, the school board's attorney, board members began the daunting task reviewing resumes of the 34 applicants.

Before the meeting, both Sojka and board member Dr. Paul Rush stated that they were confident no decision would be made at night's end.

Their assurances proved correct when Jimmy Bennett, BOE chair, announced after the meeting that no move was made by the board.

"We just reviewed the applications," Bennett said. "This will take a few meeting."

"We have not eliminated any applications," Bennett said. "In some of our next meetings we will start eliminating people."

Bennett said the board wants a speedy, but judicious, process for naming the next superintendent.

"We're hoping we can have someone by July 1," Bennett said. He added that the board is unsure if that is feasible.

July 1 is the official exit date for outgoing superintendent Shirley Prince.

"We're excited about it," said board member Darwin "Duke" Williams, referring to the hiring process.

Williams said he believed Prince had served them well.

He also said her exit shows the uncertainty of elected office.

"We didn't know she was going to leave when we ran for office," Williams said. He added that "this is why we were elected to be board members."

Williams left the meeting at around a 7:45 p.m.

The meeting started at 6 p.m. at the offices of Williamson, Dean, Williamson and Sojka, L.L.P., located at 213 East Cronly Street.

Prince announced at the board's March meeting that she would retire from the school system to take a job as executive director of the North Carolina Principals and Assistant Principals Association.

Last summer, Prince was one of two finalists for the Guilford County superintendent's job. The position went to Maurice Green, former chief operating officer and deputy superintendent of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools.