With the application period for the Bremerton School District’s (BSD’s) superintendent position closing today, the search for outgoing Superintendent Bette Hyde’s successor took another quantum leap forward from where it was last fall.

Add to that, former South Kitsap School District Superintendent Bev Cheney accepted the BSD Board of Director’s unanimous offer to serve as the district’s interim leader from April 16 to June 30.

Because of the concerted effort by the board to have a new superintendent hired by the beginning of the 2009-10 school year, the pubic uproar that resulted from a public perception of inaction by the board and Hyde’s return has largely died down.

Late last week, BSD Board of Directors President Cynthia Galloway said although the district has received at least 20 applications for its superintendent position, she would like to see more.

“It’s always good to have as many as possible, so we can narrow it down to our top five or six,” Galloway said, adding the turnout so far has been positive for the district.

Once the top five or six candidates are selected, the next major milestone in the search will occur from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. April 18, she said.

At that time, the public will have the opportunity to listen as the school board and its search consultant Northwest Leadership and Associates interview each of the semifinalists, she said, stressing the importance of public involvement and participation in the search.

From there, the board will select three finalists and after conducting daylong interviews with each of those three, the board will make its final decision.

While the board is busy with the superintendent’s search, Galloway said having Cheney is a great positive for the district.

“She’s already been in place in a different role, so she’s familiar with the district,” Galloway said of Cheney’s work on the district’s improvement plan. “We value her and we’re glad to have her supporting the Bremerton School District.”

More information about the search can be found on the district’s Web site at www.bremertonschools.org.