Public interviews for the next Escambia County Schools superintendent will begin March 8, school board members decided Thursday.

And both Escambia County Schools Principal Zickeyous Byrd and interim Superintendent Randall Little hope they have a seat at the table.

Byrd said Friday he will officially submit his application for the superintendent of schools position Monday in Brewton. Little publicly announced he would apply for the position Feb. 15 during a county principals’ meeting.

Byrd said it is “time for a change” in the school system.

“I just think there are a whole lot of issues that can be improved,” he said. “There are a lot of departments I think can improved to be more effective and more productive then they are.”

Byrd, who spent five years as the principal at Escambia County Middle School and is currently serving in his second year as principal at

ECHS, said the Escambia County school system must continue to change and adapt to the times in order to stay competitive in a fast-moving educational environment.

“I think that we have to be more competitive with the surrounding districts, and I think that with today’s society and our students we definitely have to be more innovative and creative with our methods of teaching,” he said.

Over the past seven years, Byrd has garnered a reputation in Escambia County for implementing new programs and using innovative methods with students. Byrd said for all of the change he has made, there are some issues that are simply out of reach at the principal level.

“As a principal at the middle school and the high school I have been able to make a lot of changes,” Byrd said.  “But still I am confined to those two areas and there are some things that, as a principal, I just can’t do. You need the support from the central office and the superintendent.”

Byrd said, if hired, his main focus would continue to be the well being of Escambia County students and any proposed changes would be for their direct benefit.

“I think as a system the schools have to be on one accord and doing exactly what’s best for the students, not what’s best for ourselves or what makes us comfortable.”

School board attorney Broox Garrett said plans are to begin the interview process for possible candidates March 8.

“The search for a superintendent is moving along and we are on schedule with that search,” Garrett told board members. “The application period will close on Feb. 27. We will be preparing a notebook with all information needed for the interview process ready for board members shortly. We are planning a workshop on March 8 at 4 p.m. to prepare for interviews that will begin at 4:30 that same day based on the timeline we have in place for that purpose.”

Garrett said the board members will have to decide on a specified interview period — which typically ranges from one hour to one and a half hours — prior to notifying candidates for the interview process.