Leon superintendent Rocky Hanna on latest school cancellation: 'This is unprecedented'

Alaijah Brown, Tallahassee Democrat
Updated ·2 min read
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Tallahassee could see multiple rounds of severe weather today and Tuesday, just days after three tornadoes brought widespread damage to the city. The first wave of severe storms is expected to arrive in the afternoon, though they could come sooner.
Tallahassee could see multiple rounds of severe weather today and Tuesday, just days after three tornadoes brought widespread damage to the city. The first wave of severe storms is expected to arrive in the afternoon, though they could come sooner.

As a lifelong resident and school employee for more than a quarter century, Superintendent Rocky Hanna has seen a lot.

"In my 60 years of living here, and in my 36 years of experience with Leon County Schools, this is unprecedented," Hanna told the Democrat in an interview.

On Monday morning, the school blasted out on social media it was ending the school day early and called on parents to pick up their kids by 1 p.m.

The announcement is the latest head-snap cancellation as school district administrators try to navigate the quickly changing dynamics and threat levels of a recent barrage of severe weather and what may be the city's worst tornado strike in history.

"After consultation with weather experts and our school leaders, we have made the decision to close our schools at 1:00pm today (5/13/24) due to the possibility of severe weather this afternoon. Parents can choose to pick their students up early if necessary," the school district said in a post on X.

Already administrators had delayed the school start time, cancelled busses and scrapped testing to get kids in school Monday.

"I'm just doing the best job I possibly can, given my experience with our district, and given my experience as a former military officer, to adapt and to change and to accomplish our mission, which is to educate children," Hanna said in an interview.

Three tornadoes swept through Tallahassee early Friday, leaving the city in disbelief – and in the dark. Monday afternoon a severe weather storm is also expected to hit.

Amid a sea of angst and anger on social media, the district has been limiting comments on its posts and school announcements as parents have questioned the district's decisions.

"There are not many things we can control in life, certainly cannot control the weather," Hanna said. "One of the things we can control however, is our attitude. None of us have ill intentions or want to do anything that's causing people angst, but I just think we need to find a way to be kind to each other because we're all feeling stressed."

Alaijah Brown covers children & families for the Tallahassee Democrat. She can be reached at ABrown1@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Leon Superintendent Hanna reflects on hard decisions amid tornado threat