Central Lee Family,
Winter weather is here!
I want to take a moment to remind our community, parents, and students about our weather procedures. Last year, schools across Iowa experienced a fairly mild winter. Temperatures were rarely frigid, snow was minimal during the week, and there was not a lot of ice. As a superintendent of 12 years, I know that we are unlikely to see two such winters in a row.
With today’s modern technology, weather forecasts are becoming much more accurate, although snowfall totals are still difficult to predict. Therefore, if forecasts are calling for any type of winter weather (snow, ice, wintry mix, etc.), I am usually on high alert. There are many media sources for weather forecasts, but we use just one: the National Weather Service (www.weather.gov).
If the forecast calls for winter weather, I am usually up at 5 a.m. to drive on the roads. Because Central Lee is a fairly large district geographically, I cover the Donnellson area and then communicate with our transportation staff regarding the Montrose side of our district. Between the two of us, we will likely cover 35-40 miles of gravel, county roads, and Highway 218. By 5:30 a.m, I am busy texting and calling area superintendents and continuing to communicate with our transportation staff to gauge their thoughts on the current road conditions and forecasts for later in the day. We try to have a decision made by 6 a.m. Unfortunately, late-morning storms do not always allow us to do so.
Once a decision is made, I communicate with our staff, and we post information to all media-related sites and tools. At the bottom of this letter are all the places you can find emergency/weather-related updates for Central Lee.
There is no perfect science for making weather-related calls. Occasionally, I’m out of the district during bad weather and I have to rely on several sources locally to help me make a decision. Sometimes this includes the county sheriff, local DOT staff, and other administrators in the district. We always try to err on the side of caution but we understand that rarely will everyone agree with our decision-making.
On behalf of the Central Lee School District, I want to wish everyone a Happy New Year. Let’s make 2023 the best year yet!
Dr. Andy Crozier
Superintendent
Weather-Related Updates:
TV - KHQA Channel 7, WGEM Channel 10, KTVO Channel 3
Radio - KBKB 1360 AM, KKMI 93.5 FM, KGRS 107.3 FM, KOKX 95.3 FM, KILJ 105.5 FM/1130 AM
Social Media - Facebook, Twitter, Instagram
School Notification - Text/Phone/Mobile Notification updates for parents