Two top executives at Minneapolis Public Schools are semifinalists to lead the Robbinsdale School District.

Michael Thomas, the district's chief of schools, and Cecilia Saddler, associate superintendent for high schools, were both interviewed for Robbinsdale's highest schools post Tuesday night.

Thomas, who is Saddler's boss, currently oversees all of the associate superintendents and the implementation of academic strategies. He was hired in 2011 to serve as an associate superintendent and was promoted to his current role in April 2014. Before coming to Minneapolis, Thomas was a principal in the Osseo School District for more than 10 years.

Saddler is a former South High School principal.

Other superintendent candidates include an executive from Stillwater Public Schools and the Atlanta School District. There is also an internal candidate from Robbinsdale, Lori Simon, who oversaw academic and elementary schools.

The Robbinsdale school board will make a final selection July 16 or 17.

Minneapolis is the state's third-largest school district, with about 35,000 students. Robbinsdale has about 12,000 students and is the state's ninth-largest district. The outgoing Robbinsdale superintendent had an annual salary of $189,299.

Alejandra Matos • 612-673-4028