NOLA-PS Issue Weekly Update Surrounding District’s COVID-19 Response  

Round 2 of OneApp Closes Next Wednesday, May 6; NOLA-PS Partners With Cox Communications To Launch ‘Morning Bell’ Teacher Appreciation Campaign


NEW ORLEANS – (April 30, 2020) - Per Gov. John Bel Edwards’ recent announcement, all NOLA Public Schools (NOLA-PS) facilities will remain closed for the rest of the 2019-2020 school year. This necessary action is an effective way to slow the spread of COVID-19 across our city and state. The District will issue updates to the public with developments every Thursday moving forward. Please note what is new and what has previously been shared below.

WHAT’S NEW:  
ROUND 2 OF ONEAPP CLOSES NEXT WEDNESDAY, MAY 6
  Round 2 of OneApp closes next Wednesday, May 6. K-12 families still seeking a new school for next year who did not receive a match in the Main Round may participate in the second round of OneApp. As always, the application process is online-only and available at www.EnrollNOLA.org. Families are strongly encouraged to apply to schools with remaining availability in their child’s grade. Projected availability will also be available at www.EnrollNOLA.org prior to Round 2 opening.

NOLA-PS PARTNERS WITH COX COMMUNICATIONS TO LAUNCH ‘MORNING BELL’ TEACHER APPRECIATION CAMPAIGN
In honor of National Teacher Appreciation Day, NOLA-PS and Cox Communications are partnering to launch “NOLA Morning Bell,” a campaign to thank our incredible teachers for all their hard work in supporting student learning and development during this unprecedented time.

On Tuesday, May 5 at 9 a.m., NOLA-PS and Cox Communications are inviting all New Orleans residents to join in and thank our amazing teachers by ringing a bell, banging a pan, clapping their hands and making some noise to salute our teachers. Those who plan to join NOLA-PS and Cox Communications in celebrating our teachers, should share their videos and salutes on social media using the tag #NOLAMorningBell.

PLEASE REMEMBER THE FOLLOWING:  

CONTINUOUS LEARNING – COX COMMUNICATIONS EXTENDS CORONAVIRUS RESPONSE OFFER FOR CONNECT2COMPETE WITH FREE SERVICE FOR STUDENTS UNTIL JULY 15
Recognizing that students will remain home to finish out the school year, Cox has extended free Connect2Compete service, the company’s low-cost internet offer for families with a K-12 student at home until Wednesday, July 15. Remote service support is also extended to ensure ease of implementation while students continue to learn at home during the Coronavirus pandemic. Customers that sign-up between now and May 15 are eligible for this offer and will receive free service until July 15.

The Cox Connect2Compete program is available to families who:

• Have at least one child that is a K-12 student at home.
• Participate in one of these government subsidies programs: The National School Lunch Program, SNAP, TANF or Public Housing.
• Are not a current Cox Internet customer.

Families can qualify for Connect2Compete by visiting www.cox.com/c2c

CHILD NUTRITION
Since Monday, March 16, approximately 766,107 meals and counting have been served to students in Orleans Parish.
  Citywide Feeding Program Schedule:

• Every Monday, meals will be provided for two days.  
•  Every Wednesday, meals will be provided for three days.
• Community Feeding sites will NOT be open on Tuesday, Thursday or Friday.
•  Service Hours: 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Families wishing to access information on child nutrition resources should visit the District’s webpage at https://nolapublicschools.com/covid19/nutrition. This webpage has the most up-to-date listing of where food services are available.

Students over 18 that are enrolled in public K-12 schools, including students with disabilities through age 22, are also eligible for free meals at open sites. 

• Students do not need to be present to receive meals. Parents or caregivers may pick up meals on behalf of the students within their household.
• Child nutrition resources are available to those under 18 years of age and those who currently attend a public school.

Students who are over 18 years of age and are currently enrolled in public schools will also be allowed to access the community feeding programming. Schools will be contacting those families directly to ensure they are aware of the services available to them.  

COMMUNITY RESOURCE CENTER WEBPAGE:
The NOLA-PS website has been updated to share important information and resources related to COVID-19 for community members. The community resource center includes distance learning resources for families, as well as links to local agencies and non-profits that are providing critical services and updates on the coronavirus. There are also mental and behavioral health resources to support students, educators and community members through this difficult time. We will continue to update this page as we learn of resources that may be valuable to community members.

The page also serves as a way to connect with community members that are looking for ways to support students and schools. The District is coordinating the collection of resources for schools such as sanitation supplies, educational materials, and various technology needs. If you are looking for information on giving donations, please email donations@nolapublicschools.com or contact 504-430-5311.

To access the NOLA-PS community webpage, visit https://nolapublicschools.com/community
To access distance learning resources webpage, visit https://www.nolapublicschools.com/distance-learning-resources

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ABOUT NOLA PUBLIC SCHOOLS: NOLA Public Schools is the public school district for Orleans Parish, which includes the district’s elected school board, known as the Orleans Parish School Board and the district’s administration led by NOLA Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Henderson Lewis Jr. NOLA Public Schools currently oversees 78 public schools. For more information, visit www.nolapublicschools.com. For updates, follow NOLA Public Schools on Facebook @NOLAPublicSchools, Instagram @nolaps and Twitter @NOLAPSchools.