Tuesday, we were hit with tornadoes at school dismissal time, one of our worst nightmares. I apologize for any groups I forget to mention, but thank you to the following:
Our staff members who protected our boys and girls by maintaining cool heads, using solid judgment, and relying on well defined and practiced emergency procedures. I have compared the response yesterday to a military operation performed by missionaries.
Our maintenance staff as they appeared almost before the winds ceased and worked throughout the night to have our campuses inspected and ready for school Wednesday.
Our county sheriff’s department, fire department and first responders. These groups represent some of our greatest day-to-day partners and as always, they were coming into buildings as our people were being evacuated. You stayed with us through the night and we appreciate you more than you will ever know.
The city of Oakwood and Fire Station No. 4 for their support and accommodation of displaced students.
Our parents and community members who followed the instructions of school-based leaders and spent up to two hours waiting out the storm and comforting thousands of students.
Our media partners who recognized the need to report accurate information, but respected the priority of our people to take care of our students.
A God who saw fit to allow a storm of this magnitude to go through our community and leave our boys and girls safe and in the arms of their families by nightfall.
As we get more information about the full extent of damages and our repair schedules, we will forward it to you.
Again, on behalf of your Hall County Board of Education, I thank you.
Will Schofield
Hall County schools superintendent
Good Samaritan helps visitors on their way
On Tuesday we stopped on John Morrow Parkway to get gas. When finished pumping, we discovered our battery was dead.
We asked several other customers if they had jumper cables and could help us out. The last one said he would have to go home first and would be back in about 20 minutes. He did as he said he would and, to top things off, he had been a car mechanic at one time.
The jump did not work, so our only choice was to buy a new battery. We were across from a store, so he offered to remove the dead battery and take my husband and his dead battery to get a new one.
We needed a tool this man did not have and as it was, a tool truck was right at the station and lent him the tool he needed. When they got back, the tool truck was still there so he used the tool again to install the battery. We tried to give this kind man a gift for his trouble, but he graciously refused, telling us, "just thank God instead."
We never got his name, but hope he will see this letter and know how grateful we are for his kindness. Yes, there are male angels!
Jack and Phyllis Sturm
Cleveland