Due to the impending approach of Hurricane Gustav, Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal has issued an Executive Order requiring the closure of selected Louisiana school districts on Tuesday, September 2nd and Wednesday, September 3rd. On Friday, the Louisiana Department of Education released a list of school districts announcing closures, but the Governor’s announcement makes closures of school districts in these parishes mandatory. Most schools had already planned to be off on Monday, September 1st in observance of the Labor Day holiday.
The Governor’s Executive Order will make school closures mandatory in 30 selected parishes on Tuesday and Wednesday. Parishes identified in the Executive Order include Avoyelles, Bienville, Bossier, Caddo, Caldwell, Catahoula, Claiborne, Concordia, DeSoto, East Baton Rouge, East Carroll, Franklin, Grant, Jackson, LaSalle, Lincoln, Madison, Morehouse, Natchitoches, Ouachita, Rapides, Red River, Richland, Sabine, Tensas, Union, Vernon, Webster, West Carroll, and Winn.
We will continue to work closely with the Governor’s Office and other state agencies to make decisions that support the safety of all our families. The potential impact this storm poses for our state requires us to proceed with the highest level of precaution.
On Friday, the Department of Education listed the names of school districts who voluntary announced closures. Most of the districts were located in South Louisiana and include Acadia (Tuesday), Allen (Tuesday), Assumption (Tuesday), Assumption (Tuesday), Bogalusa City (Tuesday), Cameron (Tuesday and Wednesday), Iberia (Tuesday), Jefferson Davis (Tuesday and Wednesday), Lafayette (Tuesday), Lafourche (Tuesday), Orleans (Tuesday and Wednesday), Plaquemines (Tuesday), Pointe Coupee (Tuesday), Recovery School District (Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday), St. Charles (Tuesday and Wednesday), St. Helena (Tuesday), St. John (Tuesday and Wednesday), St. Martin (Tuesday), St. Mary (Tuesday), St. James (Monday and Tuesday), St. Tammany (Tuesday), Terrebonne (Tuesday), Washington (Tuesday), Louisiana School for the Deaf (Monday and Tuesday) and Louisiana School for the Visually Impaired (Monday and Tuesday).
We encourage you to continue to monitor this web-site and blog and send us information so that we can share it across the state. It is highly probably that as the affects are felt in impacted areas, other school districts will be announcing closings and those already participating in the closure will extend the timeframe of closures. Again, please stay safe and monitor news media or the latest information.
