Butler County Schools Superintendent Darren Douthitt is one of five candidates for the Lee County Schools superintendent position.

Douthitt has served as Butler County’s superintendent since 2010.

He previously served as the assistant superintendent for Lee County Schools.

Along with Douthitt, Dr. James “Mac” McCoy, Dr. Dwight Pullen, Dr. Edwin Smith and Dr. Elizabeth Duran Swinford are also candidates for the position.

“The five candidates we bring to you tonight are in what we consider to be the prime of their careers,” Dr. Terry Jenkins, former Auburn City Schools superintendent and head of the search committee was quoted as saying in the Opelika-Auburn News. “They’re between their late 40s to the middle of their 50s. All of these candidates have served as a classroom teacher, as a principal and as a superintendent.”

The Opelika-Auburn News reports that Lee County Board of Education president Napoleon Stringer said he hopes the board will be able to interview all five candidates, and they will attempt to contact the candidates as soon as possible to set up interview appointments. Stringer also said board members would try to schedule appointments for April 15, 16 and 18.

The Lee County superintendent vacancy was created when Dr. Stephen Nowlin took a job as Jefferson County superintendent.

The new superintendent is expected to start work July 1.

Messages left for Douthitt were not returned by press time.