The Rome City Schools Board of Education has announced three finalists to replace retiring superintendent Gayland Cooper.

They are  James Arnold, superintendent of Pelham City Schools; Jeff Bearden, superintendent of Fayette County Schools; and Bill McCown, superintendent of Gordon County Schools.

Bearden was a finalist for the Floyd County Schools superintendent position, which was awarded to Jeff McDaniel last week.

Rome board members will now have a 14-day period during which information about the candidates will be released and more deliberation will be done.

Because of that, a new superintendent will be announced on Nov. 26 at the earliest, but must be named by Nov. 30, according to the Georgia School Boards Association.