Chromebook Distribution & Free LYFT Rides To and From Food Distribution Sites Starting Today; OneApp Round 2 Now Open

NEW ORLEANS – (April 6, 2020) - Per Gov. John Bel Edwards’ announcement to extend the stay-at-home order through Thursday, April 30, all NOLA public schools will remain closed for the duration of the month of April. 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 Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Please note what is new and what has previously been shared below.


WHAT’S NEW: 

CONTINUOUS LEARNING – LAPTOP DISTRIBUTION TO SCHOOLS BEGINS TODAY
NOLA Public Schools (NOLA-PS) procured 10,000 Chromebooks and nearly 8,000 Wi-Fi hotspots in an effort to improved distanced learning for NOLA-PS students in need. The distribution of chromebooks to students begins today, Monday, April 6 and will be managed by schools. Wi-Fi hotspots distribution to schools will follow. NOLA-PS has worked in close coordination with schools to address the need for each student population and prepare the Chromebooks and hotspots to adhere to each organization’s platform.

“We are thrilled to be able to offer these laptops and Wi-Fi hotspots to our students who need them most,” said NOLA-PS Superintendent Dr. Henderson Lewis, Jr. “I’d like to thank our school board for supporting these efforts and our school leaders for working to provide these resources to students as quickly as possible. I’m proud that we were able to come together as district and unite to address the issue of technology gaps quickly and efficiently.”

Distribution across the District will be based on communicated needs from schools for their student populations. The resources will be available for delivery and pick up, varying from school to school. Those families in need of a laptop or Wi-Fi hotspot should contact their school principal or school leader directly to communicate their need.

“I am pleased that the school board approved the use the funds necessary to procure these vital educational resources,” said Orleans Parish School Board President Ethan Ashley. “These laptops and Wi-Fi hotspots will help keep our district on track as our students and families navigate through distanced learning. It is imperative that we continue to provide strong solutions that will allow our students to succeed during this time.”

Upcoming NOLA-PS Media Opportunities:
(In order to adhere to social distancing guidelines there will be no media availability on-site).

• The District will have Dr. Lewis available Monday afternoon from 2:00-3:30 pm for remote interviews on the distribution - please coordinate with media contact if you'd like an interview.
• On Tuesday, NOLA-PS will send photos of some families receiving the laptops for use in media stories.

STARTING TODAY: CHILD NUTRITION - LYFT TO PROVIDE FREE RIDES TO NOLA-PS FOOD DISTRIBUTION SITES  
NOLA-PS announced LYFT has donated $5,000 in free rides to and from Food Distribution Sites in Orleans Parish starting today, Monday, April 6. The following code will be valid during Citywide Feeding Program service hours on Mondays and Wednesdays. 

• To enter a promo code in the Lyft app:
  Open the Lyft app 
• a. Open the Lyft app
• b. Tap the menu icon in the top left corner
• c. Tap ‘Promos’ in the menu that appears
• d. Tap ‘Enter promo code’ to add the code CV19NOLAPS20
• e. Tap ‘Apply’ to finish

For more information on entering promo codes, please see this page. 
Since Monday, March 16, approximately 119,600 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.

 As a precaution, the District has reissued reminders to all officials at school child nutrition sites to follow the health screening protocols provided by the District for feeding sites. Screening methods include, but are not limited to, daily temperature checks of staff before meals are prepared. Those guidelines apply to all sites operating in the Citywide Coordinated Feeding Effort. NOLA-PS in coordination with the New Orleans Health Department will make decisions regarding the operation of individual Community Feeding sites as a result of this screening method.
 
ONEAPP ROUND 2 NOW OPEN:
Starting today, Round 2 of OneApp is now open. K-12 families still seeking a new school for next year who did not receive a match 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. Round 2 will close Wednesday, May 6, 2020.

OneApp is the centralized school enrollment application process for Orleans Parish public schools. OneApp provides students and families with the opportunity to apply to schools citywide, based on their child’s unique needs and interests.

PLEASE REMEMBER THE FOLLOWING:

ONEAPP MAIN ROUND RESULTS NOW AVAILABLE:
On March 31, NOLA Public Schools (NOLA-PS) released K-12 OneApp placement results for the 2020-2021 school year. Families can log-in and review those placement results by visiting: http://oneapp.force.com. If families need help accessing their OneApp results, they may contact the Enrollment Team at (877) 343-4773 or via email at oneapp@nolapublicschools.com. Early Childhood results are expected in May.

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.