It all began with a "light dusting." Weather forecasters should have listened to our own weather girl, Lauren Blake, who called it quite early that morning. After a whirlwind lunch on Tuesday (987 students in one hour), and a carline that lasted for hours, we had whittled our numbers down to about 60 students for a nice, hot pizza dinner. The remaining students worked on computers, played in the gym, watched a movie, had a bedtime snack, and read. By the time it was lights out, we were down to 19 students. Staff members whipped up a delicious, hot breakfast for students and staff. Later that morning, transportation was secured for getting the remaining students safely home. Jana LoPresti and Jana Feild actually rode a four-wheeler type vehicle that would go where ordinary vehicles would not travel, in order to help get students to their doors. Joy Hobbs and Kathy Bell took about a three hour tour of Trussville, delivering students home on a school bus! And throughout the entire ordeal, staying awake and watching cameras and checking on everything was Officer Bradford. He never slept for even a minute.
Things went very well, thanks to so many people who provided support. Many people stayed late into the afternoon to help with the large numbers of students. I owe a huge debt of gratitude to the following people: Kristi Stacks, Chuck Bradford, Joy Hobbs, Kathy Bell, Jana LoPresti, Tom LoPresti, Jana Feild, Russ Feild, Lydia Smith, Todd Carlile, Daphne Donaldson, Nelson Young, Trussville Fire and Rescue, Deb Skinner, and Teri Hogg. A very special thank you to First Baptist Church for bringing blankets and pillows. (I now have a whole new project for us as a school. You don't realize how wonderful a warm blanket is until you are cold and trying to rest.)
