SUPERINTENDENT INTERVIEWS SET.

Byline: Alicia Doyle Daily News Staff Writer

Four educators tapped as finalists for Simi Valley school superintendent are scheduled to be interviewed Friday by the school board.

The unidentified candidates, each of whom is working as a school superintendent somewhere in California, were selected because of their education, experience and leadership skills, said board President Judy Barry.

``They've all been very successful in the districts they're in,'' Barry said. ``It's just a matter of finding the right match.''

Simi Valley Unified School District officials hired consultant Leland Newcomber to search for a successor for interim superintendent Bob Purvis, who has filled the position since July.

Purvis, who served as Simi's superintendent from 1990 to 1993, replaced Superintendent Mary Beth Wolford, who unexpectedly announced that she was leaving her post six months earlier than she had planned.

The school board is considering several qualifications, including the candidate's ability to work with a diverse school board and respond to community needs, values and expectations, Barry said. The board hopes to make its decision as early as next week, Barry said.