PRAIRIE HOME, Mo. - Prairie Home has a new principal in Michele Rex, but it is not her first time being at the school.
Rex is an alumni of the school, as well as a former physical education teacher and a coach at the school. Rex coached for four years and coached both boys and girls basketball, the softball team, and the track team.
Rex is happy to be back home.
"I'm pretty excited about being back," Rex said. "It's an exciting time for me, and new, also, because I'm meeting new families. I'm really excited being back."
While this is Rex' first year as Prairie Home's principal, she has been a principal for five years.
The main reason Rex decided to come back was that she has family in the area and she wanted to be able to visit them.
"It's home," Rex said.
During her time at Prairie Home, Rex wants the school to keep up the good work it is doing at educating the children there.
"I know it is a great school," Rex said. "Their test scores are outstanding and I hope to maintain that."
Grades are not the only thing that Rex has her eyes on. She wants to see the sports programs do well and increase the level of school spirit. In her short time as principal, Rex feels that her time has been successful.
"I've got great teachers here," Rex said. "I've had great parents here, and that's a big part of it; when you have parents who are involved with their kids, that's always good."
So far, Rex has said there has not been any big issues with the students, as she feels that they are all very respectful. She really enjoys being able to participate in events and see the students participate, as well.
Being the principal at her old school has required some time for her to get used to it, as former students in the community still call her coach.
"It's kind of strange and everybody has to get used to that," Rex said. "They have been very respectful and that's the whole thing about being a community, everybody knows everybody and they know where they grew up and what they are doing. I hope to be a big part of the succes of Prairie Home.