Last Friday afternoon, many eyes across the state were glued to screens of one sort or another, watching videos of powerful tornadoes causing damage across eastern Nebraska … and heading towards central Iowa. Numerous tornado warnings were issued throughout the afternoon and evening as the storms moved towards the Des Moines metro. When the night was over, the National Weather Service in Des Moines reported that 10 tornados were spotted in central Iowa, including an EF-2 tornado that touched down in Pleasant Hill.

While Pleasant Hill Elementary School didn’t see the damage that hit some area homes, the school wasn’t left untouched. The front door was blown open by the 125 MPH winds, throwing dirt and debris in through the school’s main entrance. Numerous branches and limbs were scattered across the campus, including a couple of large trees that will need to be removed. Some fencing was torn down and outdoor equipment tossed around by the storm; a soccer goal found its way to a nearby street.

Throughout the weekend, school teachers and staff along with the DMPS operations team were on site to get things cleaned up and back to normal as much as possible so that students could return on Monday morning. While some streets near the school were still closed due to cleanup efforts, members of the Pleasant Hill Police Department were on hand to make sure parents and school buses had a safe, clear route to school

The staff at Pleasant Hill Elementary shares that at least 10 students and their families had storm damage to their homes.

Of course, public schools are not only about what takes place in the classroom, they are part of the community at large, and Pleasant Hill Elementary was there to support their community. On Tuesday, for example, the Spud Bus was parked at school, providing free vegetables for families and neighbors.