Albert Lea school district’s superintendent, Mike Funk, is one of seven final candidates for superintendent for Rochester Public Schools.

Funk declined to comment about being a candidate. Albert Lea school board member Jeshua Erickson said Funk has invested time and energy in the district.

“If he did get the job in Rochester and accepted, it would be a considerable loss for the Albert Lea district,” Erickson said. “We would be really hard-pressed to replace him.”

During a special session Tuesday the Rochester school board picked seven finalists out of around 50 initial applicants. The seven candidates will be interviewed today and Thursday, and the public is invited to the interviews, which are at the Edison Building. Beginning May 10, two or three candidates will be considered finalists. The Rochester school board hopes to make a hiring decision May 12 or 13, according to the board’s website.

Other finalists along with Funk are candidates Larry Brown, of Monroe, Wis.; Craig Fiegel, of Plymouth, Mich.; Stan Mack