BRUSHY PRAIRIE, IN - The Prairie Heights Board of Education approved a “Back to School Plan” at their meeting Monday night.

The plan, presented by Superintendent Jeff Reed, mapped out the school’s plan to open with in-person classes. Due to the current LaGrange County Department of Health’s order for masks to be worn in public, Prairie Heights students and staff will be required to wear masks at school. A remote learning option will also be made available for parents who may not be comfortable with sending students to school, but internet access will be required.

A public notice was sent by robo call Tuesday morning to parents saying they could access the plan and a video explaining it on the school’s website (www.ph.k12.in.us).

In other board action, several new hires were approved by the board. Among those hired were Kyle Long, who will teach English at the high school. Nate Foltz was hired as a special education teacher at the middle school, and Andrew Hopwood was hired to teach 7th grade science.

Reed thanked the board for allocating funds to hire additional staff to ensure reducing class size. He also thanked the administrative team, department heads, and teachers association for setting in on many meetings to come up with a “Back to School Plan” that focused on safety while preserving the value of face to face instruction.