'Blame it all on the snow!' | Southern Indiana superintendent delights with singing snow day messages

RAMSEY, Ind. (WDRB)-- The parking lots are empty. The classrooms are dark. The halls are silent, but Dr. Stephen Hatton is up early, listening to the forecast, and driving around in his truck to see the conditions for himself.

He's the Assistant Superintendent at North Harrison Community Schools, and the guy who decides if its okay for iced up buses to hit the streets.

"We just want to be safe," Hatton said.

When it's not, he gets to his desk, picks up the phone, and lets parents know if they will need to make other plans for their children for the day.

"Do I have appointments that I have to keep? Is there somebody to take of the kids?" Niki Worrall often worries, when the call comes in.

He doesn't just say it though, it belts it out.

Earlier this week, to the tune of "Friends in Low Places," Hatton sang: "Blame it all on the snow, to school we can't go again, we've been there before. With the sleet and the ice, it's just not that nice, our buses can't make it to your door."

"Clearly, I like Garth Brooks," he said.

"I'm waiting for Simon Cowell or somebody to reach out to him," added Worrall.

Being in charge of schools may not have been his only true calling. He doesn't write any of the lyrics down.

"Just a little freestyle, practice it two or three times," he explained with a smile. "Wake the wife up, and make sure she approves."

His "Trisha Yearwood" gave it two thumbs up, so did some parents and students.

"He does a great job," said Worall.

There are others who think it's a lot for a 5 a.m. phone call.

"My buddies and fellow administrators, they like to give me a hard time, but it's not going to slow me down," Hatton said.

The next snow day greeting is already in the works from fun, Assistant Superintendent, who would make Garth proud.