A graduate of Solon High School and the University of Northern Iowa is set to become the next Middle School Principal for the Mid-Prairie School District.

The School Board has offered a contract to Robert Hruby to start his new position effective August 1st. Hruby has never been a Principal before, but received the recommendation of Superintendent Mark Schneider after eight finalists were interviewed earlier this month. A total of 34 applications were received to replace current Middle School Principal Marc Pennington who submitted his resignation in February effective at the end of the school year to take a position outside of education.

Hruby’s educational background includes the last four years with the Cedar Rapids Community School District. There he served three years as an instructional coach at McKinley STEAM Academy and this past school year as the second grade online teacher, filling a position the district created due to staffing shortages brought on by COVID-19. Prior to that, Hruby was also a middle school science teacher with Des Moines Public Schools.

Mid-Prairie is also conducting hiring searches for two other principal positions. West Elementary’s Bill Poock has submitted his resignation effective at the end of the school year to become Director of Teaching and Learning with the Grant Wood Area Education Agency.  And, Schneider said High School Principal Jay Strickland submitted his resignation Friday also effective at the end of the school year to return to his hometown of Crawfordsville, Indiana, to become their high school principal. Strickland has been the Mid-Prairie High School Principal for five years.