Natchez-Adams Superintendent Dr. Carl Davis will interview Saturday to be the new superintendent of the Vicksburg-Warren School District.

Davis said he does not plan to withdraw his name, but he can not yet say if he is leaning toward taking the position if it is offered.

&uot;The only thing definite is they invited me up for an interview,&uot; Davis said.

Davis was one of three finalists selected for the position.

The two other finalists in the search are Donald Oakes, the Vicksburg-Warren interim superintendent, and Dr. Timothy Havard, assistant superintendent of Jackson County School District in Vancleave, said John Carlisle, vice president of the Vicksburg-Warren School Board.

As of Tuesday, all three candidates still had their names in the running for the position, Carlisle said.

All three candidates will have their interviews Saturday, but Carlisle is not certain when the school board will make a decision.

&uot;I want to hurry up and get it over with,&uot; Carlisle said.

He expects one of the three candidates will fit the bill.

&uot;We had a consultant group from Ole Miss to weed them out and bring us the top five, and we went from there,&uot; Carlisle said.

The candidates will talk with the board and also take questions from the four members of a superintendent search committee, Carlisle said.

Natchez-Adams School Board President Kenneth Taylor said Davis has done a good job, and he does not think his work is yet complete in Natchez.

&uot;I hope that the Natchez-Adams School District remains the best career choice for Dr. Davis,&uot; Taylor said.

He views the interview as a positive reflection on the district.

&uot;The message that it sends is he’s done a good job and others are interested in him,&uot; Taylor said.

Davis said he was not looking to leave the local district.

Davis said he wants to continue his work in Natchez, but he applied for the position after a consultant with the Vicksburg-Warren School District contacted him, he said.

&uot;In any profession you have to look for growth and other opportunities out there that might better fit your individual needs,&uot; Davis said.

The Vicksburg-Warren School District has been looking for a superintendent for about a year since the retirement of a former superintendent in February 2000.

The Vicksburg-Warren School District hopes to have its new superintendent in place by July 1.

Davis currently makes $95,000 a year with benefits, and he has been Natchez-Adams superintendent since January 1999. He signed a 31/2-year contract.