Following the announcement last month of Superintendent of Schools Dr. Robert Cronin’s retirement, the Board of Education (BOE) has begun the long process of finding a replacement.

At its Sept. 13 meeting, the board outlined the steps that would be taken in the search, which has begun with the selection of consultant Joseph Erardi to aid the board in the hiring process. Erardi, former superintendent in Watertown, has previously helped search for superintendents in his old district and in Newtown.

The BOE began accepting applications on Sept. 15 and will keep the posting open through Friday, Nov. 2. BOE Chair Anita Anderson said that the district will seek applicants locally and throughout the nation.

The board hopes to begin interviewing candidates in November.

“I’ve had the privilege of working with Dr. Cronin since the beginning of 2011,” First Selectman Mike Freda said. “At a time in local municipal governments when sometimes superintendents and chief elected officials are in conflict, Bob and I always had a wonderful relationship.”

Cronin has served the North Haven school district for seven years as superintendent. He did not returns calls for comment.

The hiring process, which will take place over the coming months, will also include public meetings and surveys in order to move forward with community input.