18 Apply for School Superintendent Job in Anne Arundel

Eighteen people have applied to be superintendent of schools in Anne Arundel County, fewer than a third of the number who sought the top education job in neighboring Prince George's County this year.

The number could change, as some people may yet apply and others could withdraw, said Bea Gordon of the Maryland Association of Boards of Education, which is conducting the search. Applicant screening began at the end of last month, after several weeks of recruiting. Anne Arundel school board members will see a list of qualified applicants March 25. The new superintendent is to start in July.

The response is on the low side, compared with some recent searches in area school systems. The Prince George's search attracted 66 people to replace the departing Andre J. Hornsby. A search in Prince William County last year netted 44 applicants to succeed Edward L. Kelly. Twenty-two people applied last year for the job in St. Mary's County. The Prince George's system is larger than 75,000-student Anne Arundel; Prince William and St. Mary's are smaller.

Carl W. Smith, executive director of the state school boards group, said a superintendent search turns more on quality than quantity. The Anne Arundel pool, he said, has "18 applicants who are serious candidates for the position."

Some of the Anne Arundel school board's critics have predicted that the well-publicized disputes with the previous superintendent, Eric J. Smith, who resigned at Thanksgiving after a critical internal audit, would scare away potential candidates to replace him.

Konrad M. Wayson, school board president, said he didn't know what to make of the applicant pool: "I haven't seen names or qualifications of any of them yet."