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Grisela Jackson will take Ben Klebans’ place on the Orleans Parish School Board
NEW ORLEANS – (June 11, 2020) – At the Orleans Parish School Board (OPSB) board business meeting on Thursday, June 11, the OPSB elected Grisela Jackson to take the District 5 seat on the board. District 5 covers parts of the Lower Garden District, Uptown and Central City. The seat became available for assignment following current District 5 board member Ben Kleban’s announcement that he will be resigning from his seat in June as his family is moving out of state.
“I would like to welcome Grisela Jackson to our board and I am grateful for her interest in working alongside myself and my fellow board members with dedication and respect on behalf of our City’s children.” said OPSB President Ethan Ashley. “I look forward to seeing how she will contribute to the Orleans Parish School Board and District 5, especially during this critical and trying time for our students and schools.”
“I am pleased that our board identified a new member this evening to support our work and I very much look forward to working closely with Grisela Jackson in the coming months as we work together to serve the students and families,” said NOLA-PS Superintendent Dr. Henderson Lewis Jr.
JJackson is a mother, pastor’s wife and businesswoman with a passion for education and a love for children. Endeavoring to bring back quality public school education for all the children of our city, she led the efforts to restart and rebuild Lawrence D. Crocker Elementary School with support and involvement from members of the Historic Second Baptist Church and other committed residents from the community. A native of Puerto Rico and a New Orleanian since the age of eight, she is a product of Orleans Parish public schools.
The board welcomes Jackson in her new role and looks forward to working together to advocate for the students and families of NOLA Public Schools. Jackson’s term will run through the board elections in November.
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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.
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A Record Number of 106 Graduating Seniors Were Eligible for the Drawing.
NEW ORLEANS – (June 5, 2020) – For the 14th year in a row, NOLA Public Schools (NOLA-PS) and Premier Automotive Group awarded a brand-new car, courtesy of Toyota of New Orleans, to a graduating senior with perfect attendance. This year, a brand-new 2010 Toyota Yaris IA was awarded to Lavelis Fountain from New Orleans Charter Science & Math High School. In addition to the brand-new car, Lavelis Fountain was awarded a $2,000 scholarship by the Orleans Parish School Board (OPSB).
“I’d like to thank Troy Duhon and the Premier Automotive Group for their partnership and generosity,” said NOLA-PS Superintendent Dr. Henderson Lewis, Jr. “This is an event our seniors with perfect attendance look forward to every year. The opportunity to compete for this car is a fantastic reward for their commitment to their education.”
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, six finalists were selected via a virtual lottery on Thursday, June 4. Those six finalists were invited to Toyota of New Orleans for the final drawing on Friday, June 5. Other students with perfect attendance were eligible for monetary donations and swag bags provided by Troy Duhon, founder and president of Premier Automotive, along with All-Star Electric, Mobile-One Auto Sound and Core Construction. Additionally, car insurance is being provided by Jonathan Stewart from State Farm.
“This event is very important to me personally. I want to be part of the solution to keep kids in school,” said Premier Automotive Founder & President Troy Duhon. “During the last fourteen years, we have rewarded several hundred outstanding high school seniors with new cars and/or scholarships. Hopefully, we have inspired them to succeed in life.”
“This year, a record 106 seniors did not miss a day of school,” said OPSB Board President Ethan Ashley. “Congratulations to all the eligible seniors! The chance to win this brand-new car proves that your hard work and dedication is paying off.”
“I’d like to thank all of our dedicated teachers and school leaders who helped these seniors reach this exciting milestone,” said OPSB Board Member Leslie Ellison. “We are very proud of these 106 seniors for achieving perfect attendance, it is truly a great accomplishment!”
ABOUT NOLA PUBLIC SCHOOLS:
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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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NEW ORLEANS – (MAY 27, 2020) - The NOLA Public Schools (NOLA-PS) Public Education Survey on how COVID-19 has affected public education is now live. The goal of the survey is to gather feedback on the current experience of participants and discover what is most important to them at this time as they think ahead to the start of the new school year. The district invites parents, students, teachers, school staff and the community to share their insights, experiences and priorities on schooling during the pandemic and how to best return to school in the fall. The combined responses will help the district and the newly formed Reopening Task Force understand what is happening in our community right now.
“Now more than ever we need to hear from our community,” said Superintendent of Schools Dr. Henderson Lewis, Jr. “The virus has presented us all with unique and trying challenges. As we plan for what lies ahead for the next school year, we want to be sure we are involving everyone in developing plans to best keep our children and education professionals healthy and supported, while also taking into consideration the needs of families and the community at large. It’s going to take all of us to do this and I know we can do this. I am eager to hear more from the Task Force and encourage everyone to participate in the survey and have their voice be heard.”
How to Participate in The Public Education Survey
To have your voice heard be heard in the public survey please visit www.nolapublicschools.com.
The survey is completely anonymous and open to all parents, teachers, school staff and admin, students in grades 6 and above, and community members. The survey takes approximately 5-7 minutes to complete. Participants are not asked which school they attend or work. They are rather simply asked to provide their zip codes. The survey is open now and will close at 5 p.m. on June 5th.
Public Education Survey To Inform Reopening Task Force
In planning for the reopening of schools for the 2020-2021 school year, the district has convened and will lead a 30-member NOLA-PS Reopening Task Force to assist in their development of a Roadmap to Reopening, which is tentatively scheduled for release by the end of June.
The Task Force, which held its first meeting virtually last week and will meet weekly throughout the summer, is focusing on planning for every possible scenario to ensure students, staff and faculty are safe while helping children grow and learn. The group will act as a conduit for various stakeholders including the City, the Louisiana Department of Health, the Louisiana Department of Education, the Office of Youth and Families as well as the district’s students, parents, retired educators and faith-based community advisory committees. It will advise district administration and the board on the resources and supports that should be available to students, families and educators next school year. In addition to safety and educational considerations, the group will address the needs of diverse learners and the mental and behavioral health of students and staff in various reopening scenarios. The group is comprised of school leaders, teachers, social workers, medical experts, parents, city officials and other key experts.
The launch of this survey and the formation of the Task Force are the first step of re-entry planning for the district’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The response has been organized into four phases - Rapid Response, Assessment, Re-entry Planning and Implementation.
Over the last several weeks the District has been in the Assessment phase of the COVID-19 recovery; working with school leaders to determine what has worked and what will be needed to continue to support teachers and students in the next school year. As the District works through realigning plans and changing budgets for the next school year, it has been sharing various potential scenarios for reopening with school leaders and working with them to develop plans for each step. 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.
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NEW ORLEANS – (MAY 26, 2020) - In planning for the reopening of schools for the 2020-2021 school year, NOLA Public Schools (NOLA-PS) has announced it will be launching an open survey for parents, students, teachers, school staff and the community to share their insights and experiences on how COVID-19 has affected public education, as well as share their thoughts on how to best return to school in the fall. The survey, which will launch online this week, will inform the newly formed NOLA-PS Reopening Task Force in their development of a Roadmap to Reopening, which is tentatively scheduled for release by the end of June.
“Now more than ever we need to hear from our community,” said Superintendent of Schools Dr. Henderson Lewis, Jr. “The virus has presented us all with unique and trying challenges. As we plan for what lies ahead for the next school year, we want to be sure we are involving everyone in developing plans to best keep our children and education professionals healthy and supported, while also taking into consideration the needs of families and the community at large. It’s going to take all of us to do this and I know we can do this. I am eager to hear more from the Task Force and encourage everyone to participate in the survey and have their voice be heard.”
The Task Force, which held its first meeting virtually last week and will meet weekly throughout the summer, is focusing on planning for every possible scenario to ensure students, staff and faculty are safe while helping children grow and learn. The group will act as a conduit for various stakeholders including the City, the Louisiana Department of Health, the Louisiana Department of Education, the Office of Youth and Families as well as the district’s students, parents, retired educators and faith-based community advisory committees. It will advise district administration and the board on the resources and supports that should be available to students, families and educators next school year. In addition to safety and educational considerations, the group will address the needs of diverse learners and the mental and behavioral health of students and staff in various reopening scenarios.
The group is comprised of school leaders, teachers, social workers, medical experts, parents, city officials and other key experts. Current members include:
City Officials:
Mayor Latoya Cantrell
Dr. Jenifer Avegno – New Orleans Health Department
Emily Wolffe and Camille Alexander – Office of Youth and Families
School Leaders:
Sharon Clark- Sophie B. Wright Charter School
Mervin Jackson- Warren Easton Charter High School
Rhonda Kalifey- Aluise- KIPP New Orleans
Myrialis King- Foundation Prep and Community Academies
Jamar McKneely- InspireNOLA
Sabrina Pence- Firstline Schools
Patricia Perkins - Morris Jeff Community School
Troave Profice- Bricolage Academy
Kathy Riedlinger- Lusher Charter School
Terri Smith- Encore Academy
Terri Williams- Moton Charter School
School-Based Staff: Teachers, Principals, and Social Workers:
Tom Coates-Welsh- Akili Academy of New Orleans
John Gravier - ReNew Dolores T. Aaron Academy
Arriane Jones - Fannie C. Williams Charter School
Hope Loughran – Edward Hynes Charter School
Raquel Palacio - Mildred Osborne Charter School
Zerlander Ragas, New Orleans College Prep
Charter Board Chairs:
Gina Dupart- Lake Forest Elementary Charter School
Aaron Jackson – Algiers Charter School Association
Stephen Rosenthal- Collegiate Academies and ReNew Schools
Robert Stefani- Crescent City Schools
Parents from the Superintendent’s Parent Advisory Committee:
Erica Martinez
Anna Dominique
Diane Freedman
Key Experts and Experienced Educators:
Dr. Donaldo Batiste
Valencia Douglas
Lamar Gardere
Quentin Messer, Jr.
Carol Rowe
Pat Watson
The pending launch of this survey and the formation of the Task Force are the first step of re-entry planning for the district’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The response has been organized into four phases - Rapid Response, Assessment, Re-entry Planning and Implementation.
Over the last several weeks the District has been in the Assessment phase of the COVID-19 recovery; working with school leaders to determine what has worked and what will be needed to continue to support teachers and students in the next school year. As the District works through realigning plans and changing budgets for the next school year, it has been sharing various potential scenarios for reopening with school leaders and working with them to develop plans for each step. 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.
How to Participate in The Public Education Survey
NOLA-PS will be issuing notifications to parents across the district once the survey is live. It will also post announcements on social media and issue to the media as well. Please be on the lookout for announcements this week.
They survey will be completely anonymous and open to all parents, teachers, school staff and admin, students in grades 6 and above, and community members. The goal of the survey is to gather feedback on the current experience of stakeholders and discover what is most important to them at this time as they think ahead to the start of the new school year. The combined responses will help the district and Task Force understand what is happening in our community right now.
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Citywide Feeding Program to Continue Providing Meals to Students
Through the Summer with Revised Schedule
NEW ORLEANS – (May 20, 2020) – NOLA Public Schools’ (NOLA-PS) Citywide Feeding Program has officially served more than one million meals to students since the program started on March 16. NOLA-PS and Charter Management Organizations launched the full-scale Citywide Feeding Program in collaboration with many charter school leaders, the New Orleans Recreation Development Commission (NORD), local non-profit organizations, faith-based partners and private businesses. The program is comprised of 39 Community Feeding Distribution sites across New Orleans that ensure families can easily access breakfast and lunch during this prolonged school closure. The 39 sites consist of schools, NORD facilities and local business locations and the Citywide Feeding Program will continue throughout the summer.
“As New Orleans prepared for the spread of COVID-19, we as educators quickly realized the need to provide child nutrition services and worked diligently to build and launch the Citywide Feeding Program,” said NOLA-PS Superintendent Dr. Henderson Lewis, Jr. “I’d like to thank our school leaders, partners and the food distribution site workers for making the Citywide Feeding Program a success. This service is vital for students to receive a proper education.”
As a district, NOLA-PS and school operators recognize the need to provide daily meals to students via the Citywide Feeding Program and all parties remain dedicated to serving those most in need during this trying time. This work will continue through the summer to ensure students’ health and wellbeing stay on track. Additionally, NOLA-PS is working to create a revised meal distribution schedule for the summer.
“As a district, we are committed to servicing the whole child through this entire crisis,” said Orleans Parish School Board President Ethan Ashley. “Our top priority is the health and wellbeing of our students. We are thrilled to be able to serve our students and families as we continue our meal distribution program through the summer. This is not only monumental for the families that we serve but we must also recognize the hard work and dedication of our food service providers.”
NOLA-PS worked closely with Charter School Leaders, the City of New Orleans and NORD to execute the Citywide Feeding Program. Additionally, LYFT donated $5,000 in free rides for families to travel to and from food distribution sites in Orleans Parish. These partnerships made it possible for families across the District to access the food distribution sites. NOLA-PS is leading the way, locally and nationally, by providing students with the meals, health services and remote learning they need to grow and succeed during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Citywide Feeding Program Schedule:
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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.
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