NOLA-PS Announces First Day of School to Start with Distance Learning
To help New Orleans get back on track and help keep students and teachers healthy amid the current rate of community spread, schools will start with distance learning for August.
New Orleans – (July 21, 2020) — With COVID-19 cases rising across New Orleans, NOLA Public Schools (NOLA-PS) announced today, with the support of Mayor Cantrell and public health officials, that students will start the school year with distance learning, with the goal of returning students to in-person learning after Labor Day.
“While returning students to the classroom is absolutely critical, the latest data is unfortunately going in the wrong direction and we just can’t do that at this time,” said NOLA-PS Superintendent of Schools Dr. Henderson Lewis, Jr. “Our top priority has always been the health and well-being of our students, teachers, faculty and staff and given the current levels of community spread, we have made the difficult decision to delay in-person learning at least until after Labor Day. Now, what happens next is up to all of us; that’s why I am asking everyone to mask up, wash your hands, socially distance when possible, and stay home if you are feeling sick. There are over 45,000 students in New Orleans that depend on all of us to do our part.”
The decision to pivot to distance learning for the start of school was made based upon a review of the City’s health data trends and the advice of medical experts. Moving forward, the District will continue to monitor key indicators including the number of new cases, testing capacity, and indications of community spread. The district will assess data at the end of August to determine if in-person instruction can resume starting after Labor Day.
Families can expect to hear additional details on start of schools from their individual schools starting July 22nd. NOLA-PS, along with charter school leaders, are committed to helping New Orleans get back on track and to help keep students and teachers healthy given the current rate of community spread.
“This is a difficult decision, yet not so difficult considering the existing conditions in our city," said Mayor LaToya Cantrell. "These decisions will have a significant, cascading effect on our city because our children won't be able to attend school with direct instruction. Prior to the 4th of July, I pleaded to the community that if we wanted our children to return to school, in the environment that they are used to and that they need to thrive, that it depended on the actions of adults. We need to turn this around and we can do it, but let's make sure that our children remain our top priority and that we don't lose them in the midst of distanced learning."
“Our level of community transmission is too high to support immediate return to in-person school,” said City Health Director Dr. Jennifer Avegno. “And while we have seen that kids are not as susceptible to severe illness, we do know that they can transmit the virus to those who are. I want to be clear: in an ideal world, we all agree that the best place for kids to be is in the classroom. So let this be a motivator for all of us. Every single thing each and every one of us does in the next few weeks should be with the goal of supporting the children of New Orleans.”
While students will start learning remotely this year, school buildings will remain open so that staff may access the building to support distance learning and offer critical services and supports to families as needed, such as school meals, while following the established health and safety protocols.
“While this is a very tough decision, it is the right one that we must make at this time for the health and safety of our students, teachers, families and community. As we move forward, we can’t do this alone,” said Board President Ethan Ashley. “We need the help of our entire community to take the necessary precautions and mask up. The actions that we take today, have a direct impact on what our children can do in the future.”
Throughout the month of August, NOLA-PS will continue to host weekly briefings alongside public health advisors, to provide regular updates on a return to in-person learning and steps the District is taking to ensure students and teachers are supported throughout this time.
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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.
NOLA-PS Announces First Day of School to Start with Distance Learning
To help New Orleans get back on track and help keep students and teachers healthy amid the current rate of community spread, schools will start with distance learning for August.
New Orleans – (July 21, 2020) — With COVID-19 cases rising across New Orleans, NOLA Public Schools (NOLA-PS) announced today, with the support of Mayor Cantrell and public health officials, that students will start the school year with distance learning, with the goal of returning students to in-person learning after Labor Day.
“While returning students to the classroom is absolutely critical, the latest data is unfortunately going in the wrong direction and we just can’t do that at this time,” said NOLA-PS Superintendent of Schools Dr. Henderson Lewis, Jr. “Our top priority has always been the health and well-being of our students, teachers, faculty and staff and given the current levels of community spread, we have made the difficult decision to delay in-person learning at least until after Labor Day. Now, what happens next is up to all of us; that’s why I am asking everyone to mask up, wash your hands, socially distance when possible, and stay home if you are feeling sick. There are over 45,000 students in New Orleans that depend on all of us to do our part.”
The decision to pivot to distance learning for the start of school was made based upon a review of the City’s health data trends and the advice of medical experts. Moving forward, the District will continue to monitor key indicators including the number of new cases, testing capacity, and indications of community spread. The district will assess data at the end of August to determine if in-person instruction can resume starting after Labor Day.
Families can expect to hear additional details on start of schools from their individual schools starting July 22nd. NOLA-PS, along with charter school leaders, are committed to helping New Orleans get back on track and to help keep students and teachers healthy given the current rate of community spread.
“This is a difficult decision, yet not so difficult considering the existing conditions in our city," said Mayor LaToya Cantrell. "These decisions will have a significant, cascading effect on our city because our children won't be able to attend school with direct instruction. Prior to the 4th of July, I pleaded to the community that if we wanted our children to return to school, in the environment that they are used to and that they need to thrive, that it depended on the actions of adults. We need to turn this around and we can do it, but let's make sure that our children remain our top priority and that we don't lose them in the midst of distanced learning."
“Our level of community transmission is too high to support immediate return to in-person school,” said City Health Director Dr. Jennifer Avegno. “And while we have seen that kids are not as susceptible to severe illness, we do know that they can transmit the virus to those who are. I want to be clear: in an ideal world, we all agree that the best place for kids to be is in the classroom. So let this be a motivator for all of us. Every single thing each and every one of us does in the next few weeks should be with the goal of supporting the children of New Orleans.”
While students will start learning remotely this year, school buildings will remain open so that staff may access the building to support distance learning and offer critical services and supports to families as needed, such as school meals, while following the established health and safety protocols.
“While this is a very tough decision, it is the right one that we must make at this time for the health and safety of our students, teachers, families and community. As we move forward, we can’t do this alone,” said Board President Ethan Ashley. “We need the help of our entire community to take the necessary precautions and mask up. The actions that we take today, have a direct impact on what our children can do in the future.”
Throughout the month of August, NOLA-PS will continue to host weekly briefings alongside public health advisors, to provide regular updates on a return to in-person learning and steps the District is taking to ensure students and teachers are supported throughout this time.
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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.
The Roadmap outlines a phased approach with clear standards for all schools to adhere to when implementing their school-specific plans for next year
NEW ORLEANS – (July 1, 2020) - NOLA Public Schools (NOLA-PS) has released its Roadmap to Reopening Schools for the upcoming academic year. The Roadmap outlines a common approach for how and when all NOLA-PS schools’ will provide instruction across various scenarios, based upon the City of New Orleans’ reopening phases and guidelines set by the Louisiana Department of Education, and defines a set of health and safety standards that all schools will be expected to implement as school buildings reopen. The plan was informed by months of listening to community stakeholders, the NOLA-Public Schools Reopening Task Force; the findings of our community stakeholder survey; coordination with our school leaders; advice from medical experts, and local, state, and federal health guidelines.
The Roadmap prioritizes the health and safety of students, staff, and families; maximizes in-person student learning; provides flexibility to meet the varied needs of families; and creates citywide consistency in standards and expectations. Given the priority on student and staff safety, specific safety precautions include: required face coverings for staff and students, frequent handwashing, temperature checks upon arrival, and enhanced cleaning of classrooms, facilities, and buses.
Additionally, the plan calls for NOLA-PS schools to offer a mix of in-person and distance learning, based upon the status of the City of New Orleans’ reopening phases, prioritizing in-person instruction, especially for our youngest students with PreK through 4th grade returning to classrooms daily, citywide in Phase 2. Additional school-based plans will vary, within the framework provided, given the school’s enrollment, staffing and other factors, such as transportation capacity. Parents should hear from their respective schools on what their plans are, aligned to the Roadmap, starting the week of July 6th.
“Thank you to all of our students and families who have waited patiently to receive our reopening plan. I also want to thank and acknowledge the hard work of the District staff, the Reopening Task Force and our partners - all of whom have been working diligently to determine all of the safest ways to return to campus for the upcoming school year under state and local health guidelines,” said Orleans Parish School Board President Ethan Ashley. “A top priority of the District during this time is to ensure the health and well-being of our students, teachers, staff, and families by setting the proper standards and maintaining accountability for all of our schools. And we will also work with our school leaders to ensure that all students are served equitably across the District, whether they are in the classroom or at home.”
NOLA Public Schools will consult with the City of New Orleans and the New Orleans Health Department on a regular basis to assess public health data and the City’s progress towards critical health milestones to determine if any alterations to the Roadmap are needed at any point this school year. Given the fluid nature of COVID-19 in our community, adjustments to the return to school model may be required.
Specifications for each phase are detailed and include guidance on number of people allowed in rooms at one time, cleaning protocols, bus capacities, and more but highlights for each include:
Phase 1:
• School buildings will not be open; all schools will offer distance learning only
Phase 2:
• PreK-4 grade will return to school full time
• Grades 5-8 will receive a mix of in-person and distance learning, with some grades attending daily, based upon school capacity.
• Grades 9-12 will receive at minimum 2 days of in-person instruction weekly
• Students with most critical special needs may attend school full time regardless of grade level
• Schools will offer distance learning on a quarterly basis for all families not ready to return to in-person learning
• Face coverings required for all students and staff members
Phase 3:
• Schools will follow Phase 2 model. If a school can accommodate additional grades on-site they may
• Face coverings required for all students and staff members
“We believe the Roadmap provides our school community with a clear and strong foundation to guide our collective work in serving the children of Orleans parish this coming school year and NOLA-PS stands ready to support our educators as they prepare to open school campuses in the safest manner possible” said NOLA-PS Superintendent of Schools Dr. Henderson Lewis, Jr. “During such challenging times, I am thankful for coordination across our schools, advice of our health experts, and honest and thoughtful feedback from students, families and teachers which directly informed our plans. As we learn what additional steps may be needed to respond to the virus from health experts, we will adjust our plans as needed. We will do everything in our power to help keep staff, students and their families safe.”
“NOLA Public Schools has put forth a comprehensive Roadmap to Reopening,” said New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell. “I appreciate the thought and care that went into this plan that prepares for every possible scenario. It’s imperative that we continue to work together, especially during this changing landscape, to ensure students and teachers, as well as their families, are as safe as possible this upcoming school year.”
“Requiring face coverings for staff and older children, limiting large groups and gatherings, and strict sanitation on school campuses are simple but critical steps we can take for preventing the spread of COVID-19,” said New Orleans Department of Health Director Jennifer Avegno, MD. “We need to be doing everything possible to ensure students and teachers feel safe when then return to school.”
Educators will be on the forefront of serving students and much is being asked of them this coming school year. The District fully stands behind teachers and will continue to take steps to support them as they take on essential role in serving our students. Specific actions include building a plan with the City of New Orleans to ensure teachers and other school-based staff have regular and prioritized access to COVID-19 testing and partnering with New Orleans Children’s hospital to provide training to teachers and other school-based staff on safety precautions.
NOLA-PS will also be building a set of supplemental guidance and resources for schools to access when implementing aspects of the plan. Such guidance will include exemplar safety protocols, guidance for serving special education students and other high-needs populations in distance learning and addressing the social and emotional needs of students and staff. Such tools will begin to be available in mid-July on the District’s website.
To keep the community informed as the school year begins, Superintendent Dr. Henderson Lewis, Jr. will give regular, public updates on COVID-19 specific to schools, share news on the status of the implementation of the Roadmap, any needed adjustments, and other pertinent news regarding COVID-19’s impact on our schools.
To access the Reopening Roadmap, click here.
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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.
NOLA-PS ANNOUNCES PROCUREMENT OF PPE SUPPLIES FOR ALL ORLEANS PARISH PUBLIC SCHOOLS DURING VIRTUAL PRESS CONFERENCE
District announces hiring of new Medical Advisor; New Orleans Department of Health Director Dr. Avegno speaks on NOLA-PS’ important partnership with the City.
Click here for PPE supplies photos
NEW ORLEANS – (July 14, 2020) – Today during a virtual press conference, NOLA Public Schools (NOLA-PS) announced it has procured PPE supplies for all Orleans Parish public schools to utilize on campus for the 2020-2021 academic school year. NOLA-PS also announced the hiring of Dr. Benjamin Springgate as the District’s Medical Advisor. Additionally, New Orleans Department of Health’s Director Dr. Jennifer Avegno spoke about how NOLA-PS is working closely with the City to analyze health data trends to prepare for the return to campus next month.
NOLA-PS is problem-solving at the District level to ensure the safety of all students and educators when schools reopen next month. To that effect, NOLA-PS worked diligently to procure various PPE supplies that will help prevent the spread of COVID-19 on campus. Starting next week, and over the next few weeks, Orleans Parish public schools will receive a kit with the following supplies:
• 4,800-9,200 Disposable and reusable face masks per site
• 200-750 Face shields per site
• 8,000-16,000 Nitrile gloves per site
• 10 Gallons of hand sanitizer and 20 hand sanitizer stations per site
• 4 No-touch thermometers per site
• 40 Thermal-insulated food storage bags per site
• 40 Gallons of disinfectants per site
These PPE supplies will be used in addition to the safety requirements already in place in NOLA-PS’ Roadmap to Reopening. These safety standards include face covering requirements for all students and staff, frequent handwashing, temperature checks and limiting class size.
During the press conference, New Orleans Department of Health’s Director Dr. Jennifer Avegno discussed how NOLA-PS and the City have worked closely together to find the safest way to re-open schools for the upcoming academic year. The District is working hand in hand with the Mayor’s office and the city health department to evaluate health data trends to determine if any changes need to be made to the reopening plans, whether that is in August and at any point in the school year.
The District will welcome Dr. Benjamin Springgate as NOLA-PS Medical Advisor. As Medical Advisor, Dr. Springgate will aid in the reentry planning processes and will be available to all schools in the District to advise on actions to take and how to keep campuses safe. Dr. Springgate is an associate professor of clinical medicine at Louisiana State University (LSU) and received his medical degree from the Tulane University School of Medicine where he also completed his residency both in internal medicine and pediatrics.
In order to be transparent with students, families, teachers, staff and the community, NOLA-PS will be hosting a press conference every week leading up to the start of the upcoming school year. NOLA-PS will utilize these press conferences to provide updates about the upcoming academic school year. NOLA-PS will welcome Dr. Benjamin Springgate as a guest at next week’s press conference.
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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.
Survey sought feedback from the public on how COVID-19 has affected public education in Orleans Parish, concerns for health and safety top respondents priorities for next school year
NEW ORLEANS – (June 19, 2020) – As NOLA Public Schools (NOLA-PS) prepares for the 2020-2021 school year, it encouraged the community to participate in a Public Education Survey to gain insights on how COVID-19 has affected public education, as well as how to best return to school in the fall. The survey, which closed on June 5, was anonymous and open to all parents, teachers, school staff and administration, students in grades 6 and above and community members.
In total, 7,227 people completed the survey. The largest group of respondents, roughly 66 percent, were parents/guardians of children who attend a New Orleans public school. Twenty one percent were Orleans Parish educators, 8 percent were Orleans Parish students and about 5 percent were community members. All zip codes were represented from across New Orleans. Overwhelmingly, the main priority for respondents was in outlining safety and health protocols in the coming school year.
The district plans to utilize these results in drafting a Roadmap to Reopening next school year. That plan, which is currently being drafted with the input of the NOLA-PS Reopening Task Force, along with other key stakeholders and school leaders, is scheduled to be shared with the public the week of June 29th. A key factor impacting the plan development is the receipt of final guidance from the Louisiana Department of Education.
“I want to thank all the parents, students, educators and community members who took the time to participate in our survey. The community’s feedback is vital as we plan for upcoming school year,” said NOLA-PS Superintendent Dr. Henderson Lewis, Jr. “Our priority continues to be the physical and mental health of our students and staff. NOLA-PS is working closely with our stakeholders and medical advisors to build a plan to help us open school as safely as possible.”
Survey results provided insight on important actions NOLA-PS needs to take when planning for the reopening of schools. Based upon all stakeholder responses, the health and safety of students and staff are identified as the core priority to drive reopening and standards for school operation.
To better unify the protocols for reopening schools, and to make protocols and guidelines streamlined across the district, the administration has been sharing multiple potential needs to inform schools’ planning.
Some of those shared considerations include:
Additionally, NOLA-PS is in the process of hiring a medical and public health advisor who will oversee reentry planning processes and will be available to all schools in the district to advise on actions to take and how to keep our campuses safe.
Further survey results indicated that having social and emotional health supports for students and staff is an overall top priority for the upcoming school year, especially with educators.
NOLA-PS also found that, given the uncertainty and health risks COVID-19 poses to the school community, schools must provide flexible options for students and families. If staggered schedules are required, 64 percent of respondents would prefer alternating days over other options like staggering arrival times on the same day. However, more than half of teachers and families called for distance learning to be in place as an option next year, regardless of school reopening.
Should distance learning continue to be required, stakeholders prioritize improving the level of specificity and directions given to students and families, along with ensuring teachers have proper training and support. Specifically, 88 percent of parents indicated that it would be helpful to have a summary of what their child needs to have learned to be on track for the next grade. 87 percent would like guidance on which tasks and assignments to prioritize each day and 85 percent would like to have someone who can provide help or support on assignments when they have questions.
On broad measures of satisfaction, nearly three out of four or more of all students, families and educators report feeling informed and supported by their schools this past spring. Further, 86 percent of parents agreed their child had reliable internet access and 77 percent agreed they were supported by teachers and schools in implementing remote learning. While parents overwhelmingly agreed they had access to key supports during the transition to distance learning, they want information on academic support in advance of the upcoming school year. The District and Reopening Task Force are taking these data points and applying them when planning for every possible scenario for the reopening of schools.
At the start of the COVID-19 outbreak in New Orleans, NOLA-PS quickly acquired 10,000 laptops and 8,000 Wi-Fi hotspots. In addition, the district developed a partnership with Cox Communications. Cox offered reduced internet rates to families in an effort to improve distance learning for Orleans Parish public school students. The District worked closely with schools to address needs for each student population and help fill the gaps for those schools that did not have enough laptops for students. NOLA-PS, along with school leaders, will continue to work diligently to acquire additional resources in an effort to close any remaining technology gaps and improve distance learning for students and families ahead of the next school year.
A fact sheet with highlights from the survey can be found here.
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.###
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