The Mid-Prairie School District is continuing to develop their return to learn plan with three weeks remaining until it’s due date. To continue to provide students with learning opportunities while following COVID-19-guidelines, the Iowa Department of Education is requiring school districts to submit a plan that details how students will receive lessons if they must be altered due to the virus. Superintendent Mark Schneider says administrators and teachers have been meeting weekly to discuss this plan. Preliminary ideas on hybrid learning include separate groups of students coming in the morning and afternoon, incorporating an every other day approach, and switching between online and in-person days. Administration also brought up the ideas of starting the school year a week early in order to finish up the second semester before Christmas break. And focusing on the mental and emotional health of students and staff. Schneider told the school board with this plan being due on July 1, changes and updates to the plan will most likely occur before the start of school in late August. The school district currently plans to begin the 2020-2021 school year on August 25th in a traditional manner.