Former South Allegheny school Superintendent Patrick Risha is among the candidates applying to become superintendent of the McKeesport Area School District.

Risha confirmed Monday that he has applied for the position which is to become available when Superintendent Frank McLaughlin retires at the end of this calendar year.

McKeesport Area business manager David Seropian said that job interviews will begin next week. He did not identify the other candidates.

Risha was superintendent in South Allegheny from September 1999 to March.

Last year, some of his supporters on the school board were not re-elected, but before they left office, they extended his contract, which would have expired last month, another five years to 2009.

Then, the new board majority voted 5-3 to release Risha from the extended contract. At the time, he was earning $120,000 a year, but the outgoing board had voted eventually to provide an annual salary of $164,000.

The district ended up settling with Risha for $325,907 plus benefits.

South Allegheny has about 1,800 students. McKeesport Area has about 4,700.