At the most recent meeting, the Mid-Prairie School Board approved opening a position at Kalona Elementary for a special education associate. Recently a student moved into the district with an individualized education plan, or IEP, which stipulates the student needs a one-on-one associate. Business Manager Jeff Swartzentruber says the school presently has a substitute teacher assisting the student, but the school will work quickly to find a permanent associate. He believes they could have the position filled by the time they meet for their first school board meeting of December. The money to hire the associate will come from the school’s special education fund and general fund. This will be the third associate position created and hired during this school year, as the district recently hired two Title 1 reading associates who started Monday at Kalona and Wellman Elementary.