Regional high school administrators have narrowed their search for a new assistant principal to two candidates, who were both invited to the school for daylong final interviews this week.

One candidate is Anne Wagner, who works as a dean of students and advanced placement English teacher in Gardner. The other is Michael Richard, an assistant principal in Belchertown.

High school principal Stephen Nixon said each candidate spent a full day meeting faculty, staff and students, and answering questions about their administrative backgrounds. Each candidate was taken through the school, met with guidance director Michael McCarthy, and spoke with the principal about the curriculum and instruction focus of the assistant principal position.

“This assistant principal will be focused on student achievement. And what we need to do to improve teaching and improve learning and raise the bar for student achievement,” said Mr. Nixon.

The candidates spent their interviews meeting everyone they might encounter on the job.

“Over the two days you get them to meet as many of the stakeholders as possible. Everyone who has a connection with the school: community, parents, school community, school committee, all the departments in the school,” said Mr. Nixon. “They got to meet with the teachers and administrators. So they just touch base with everyone because obviously the assistant principal’s job attaches itself to everyone.”

The search began several weeks ago. A selection committee made up of school committee members, teachers, parents, students and a member of the NAACP narrowed the candidate list to six. Those six were brought into the school for preliminary interviews.

The committee then narrowed the list to two, and Mr. Nixon said a final choice should come by early next week. “I have to work my way through the building,” he said yesterday. “The way it goes is, I take everyone’s input and then make a final decision about whom I’m going to recommend.”

Vineyard schools superintendent Dr. James H. Weiss will make the final selection. The job begins July 1.