Hunkering Down in Atlantic Waiting Out the Blizzard of '07

Following the SWUU Executive Board meeting on Wednesday evening, I made it to Atlantic to the Super 8 well before the blizzard of '07 hit.

Marilyn, John and Pat (the SWUU Crew) had put together a great schedule for me of visiting SWUU locals on March 1st and 2nd. Unfortunately Mother Nature had other plans for all of us across the midlands.

On March 1st I was to have been with Atlantic EA president Bev Schelling at Atlantic High School starting at 8:00 a.m. My visit would have taken me to both the high school and middle school with an awesome schedule to visit numerous classes and see great things happening here in Atlantic. At 6:00 a.m. the TV news already announced that school was canceled for the day. Bev has called both on Thursday and Friday to check up on me--the ever conscientious educator and leader!

Needless to say, I'm still here on Friday, March 2nd. After 12" of snow and winds up to 50 mph, very few are moving on the roadways. Interstates 29, 35 and 80 have all been closed for all of Thursday and I-80 remains closed between Omaha and Des Moines yet today. All state highways leading to the Interstate are also closed.


Today, March 2nd--Dr. Seuss's birthday--I remain at the Super 8 in Atlantic. I was to have started my day in Council Bluffs at Kirn Jr. High with CBEA president Shauna Firmature and reading aloud from author Jerry Spinelli's Crash. After two classes at Kirn I was to travel to my home building of Carter Lake Elementary and visiting the classroom of CBEA Grievance Chair Cookie Clapper. My afternoon was to be at Lewis Central Schools and at the middle school Titan Hill with LCEA leader Maggie Bennett.

The entire crew here at the Super 8 in Atlantic have been fabulous! Here Kathie at the front desk keeps the smile on her face with all the weary travelers hoping for a warm place to stay. On Thursday noon Kathy and I each pitched in money for her son to treck across the road to Wal Mart and pick up sandwich fixings, chips, fruit and milk for those of us that didn't "plan ahead" for our meals over the next few days.


Thanks Kathie and the super Super 8 staff for going out of your way for all of us!