After interviewing three finalists, the Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan district school board unanimously chose Michael Bolsoni – a former teacher and district administrator – as its next superintendent on Tuesday.

Bolsoni will replace Mary Kreger, who has served as superintendent for six years, as the leader of the state's third-largest district. Bolsoni takes over July 1. The other finalists were Thomas Ahart, an independent consultant and former Des Moines Public Schools superintendent, and Latanya Daniels, Richfield Public Schools' assistant superintendent.

"I will continue to be a champion for equitable, student-centered outcomes and will lead ... to achieve the mission of educating, developing and inspiring our students for lifelong success," Bolsoni said in a district news release.

Bolsoni started as a social studies teacher at the School of Environmental Studies. After 11 years, he became a peer leader and coach for the district's Q Comp Program, a statewide program providing funding to districts that set up an alternative system for teacher pay based on performance.

He was named assistant administrator to both Valley Middle and Apple Valley High School. Bolsoni soon became an assistant principal and then principal at Apple Valley High School.

He became secondary education director in 2019. In that role he led two successful referendum campaigns, helped guide the district through the pandemic and supported an improved American Indian Education Program.

Bolsoni has a specialist degree in educational leadership from Minnesota State University, Mankato and a master's degree in education from the University of Minnesota.