Hruby ready to tackle the challenges of middle school

By Molly Roberts
Posted 8/10/21

Rob Hruby is entering his first year as principal at Mid-Prairie Middle School during an unsteady time, with the pandemic still affecting school and students just craving a return to normal. But …

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Hruby ready to tackle the challenges of middle school

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Rob Hruby is entering his first year as principal at Mid-Prairie Middle School during an unsteady time, with the pandemic still affecting school and students just craving a return to normal. But he’s prepared to meet the challenges of the new school year head-on.

“We want to get back to normal as much as we possibly can, while also keeping in the back of our minds that people are at different places in how they’re processing what’s going on. We need to be attentive to the needs of students as they arise,” Hruby said. “I think that in schools across the state and across the country, we’re going to see increased levels of anxiety and other mental health issues and as a staff, we have to be prepared for how we’re going to respond and make sure that we’re supporting them.”

“Middle school is a tough time as it is. When you add in those COVID layers, that takes it from a 1,000-piece puzzle to a 5,000-piece puzzle. So it’s being aware, talking to kids, keeping in communication with parents so we can all be on the same team to get kids what they need.”

Hruby experienced the challenges of COVID, especially during his last year with the Cedar Rapids Community School District where he taught virtual second grade. He had previously taught seventh grade science and ELL math and science classes for Des Moines Public Schools and served as the Learning Supports Facilitator the Cedar Rapids district, but he said teaching virtual elementary school as a “different kind of tired at the end the day.”

“I learned about myself as an educator and a little bit more about my strengths and weaknesses going through that,” Hruby said. “I think I’m much better being in a position in front of people and with the older age groups, especially that middle school group — that’s where my passion lies.”

Hruby said he loves working with middle school students because he can see their development from fifth through eighth grade — seeing fifth graders come in a little wild and change into more mature and academically rigorous eighth graders all in the same building.

He said he decided to pursue administration because it allows him to have a positive impact on a building of 400 students instead of a classroom of 25.

“As a classroom teacher I always prided myself in the work we were doing in my classroom and how my students were learning. I wanted to see that on a broad scale,” Hruby said. “Now, it’s not just my classroom that I’m focused on, this is our school that I’m really looking at. It’s taking that step up in what I can really control and influence and right now I’m ready for that larger influence.”

Hruby said one reason he chose to come to Mid-Prairie is the sense of community here.

“When I think about the school district as a community, I’m thinking about those sporting events, fine arts events, open houses where you get to bring people together and celebrate all those successes you’re having at whatever building it may be,” Hruby said. “When you talk about building relationships with students, it’s about visibility. They see you out, they know you care. That’s where I need to be.”

He said he looks forward to building relationships with his students, whether that be my attending a sporting or fine arts event or just asking a student what he got for lunch or what they’ve enjoyed about their day.

“I want to give students opportunities to share about themselves and then share a little bit about me, too. The thing I don’t want to see happen is having kids say, ‘There’s Mr. Hruby, he’s the principal. What does he do? I don’t know,’” Hruby said. “I want kids to say, when they’re asked that question, ‘That’s Mr. Hruby. He supports me and my teachers. That’s what his job is, to make sure we all have what we need to be successful.’”