By Friday’s 4 p.m. cutoff, 23 people had applied for the top post in the Polk County School District, two local administrators among their ranks.

John Small, Senior Director of Workforce Education, and David Lewis, Associate Superintendent of Learning, have each applied for the position of Polk County School District Superintendent, a position currently filled by interim superintendent John Stewart, who served three elected terms and now has come back to temporarily take the helm after the retirement of Sherrie Nickell.