While our state is only beginning to recover and rebuild after the impact of Hurricane Gustav, we must do so while simultaneous preparing for the approach of Hurricane Ike. As frustrating as this new development is for all of us, I am confident that the people of Louisiana will rise to the occasion, once again demonstrating our resiliency and determination not to just reclaim what existed, but to move beyond these types of events to advance our quality of life.
On Wednesday and Thursday, school districts in the southwest part of the state closely monitored the advancement of Hurricane Ike and were well prepared to respond to the threat and the evacuation efforts of their parish. Both Calcasieu Parish and Cameron Parish closed schools Thursday, September 11 and Friday, September 12. Vermilion Parish announced schools closed at noon on Thursday and will remain closed through Friday. Twelve other Louisiana parishes, Acadia, Allen, Beauregard, Iberia, Jefferson Davis, Lafayette, St. Charles, St. James, St. John, St. Martin, St. Mary and Vernon, have announced all schools will be closed on Friday. The Louisiana School for the Deaf (LSD), located in Baton Rouge, remains open. However LSD school officials indicated some residential students are being brought home this afternoon rather than waiting until Friday, which is the normal weekly routine for transporting students from school.
Jefferson Parish and Plaquemines Parish have announced partial closures for Friday. Fisher Miller High School and Leo Koerner Elementary School in Jefferson Parish and Phoenix High School, Boothville-Venice High School, South Plaquemines High School and South Plaquemines Elementary School in Plaquemines Parish will be closed tomorrow.
All of the districts that announced closures due to Hurricane Ike had resumed operations prior to Wednesday, September 10th. In fact, all but six of the state’s 70 school districts had resumed full or partial operations as of yesterday. That means almost 85 percent of our state’s public school students were back in class before the latest closures were announced.
The fact that so many of our local school districts have resumed operations of their schools is a remarkable accomplishment when we consider the tough blow Hurricane Gustav dealt to almost every area of our state. Regardless of the challenges, there is a common recognition that children need a daily routine, and we congratulate and thank the superintendents, school boards, principals, teachers, staff, community leaders, parents, students and other volunteers who worked side by side to get their schools open again. As Hurricane Ike approaches, whatever comes our way, I am confident that we will again work together as a state to support our local districts, school communities, students and families.
Likewise, the Department, school districts and school communities are positioned to share resources under critical circumstances. During Gustav and even in its aftermath, there has been a need for the education community to loan out and in some cases coordinate buses, facilities, staff support, food services and volunteer support. The logistics and timing of these requests presented our staff and district leaders with some tough obstacles, and I’m extremely proud of the fact that they came through when our state was in a tight spot. We’re prepared to do what we can again if the need arises.
We encourage you to monitor our Web-site (www.louisianaschools.net), this blog and your local news for updated information. Also, please feel free to post information on this blog so that we can update our education community with the most current news. If there is anything that the Department of Education or I can do to help you, please let us know.
CURRENT LIST OF DISTRICT CLOSINGS DUE TO HURRICANE IKE
CURRENT COMPREHENSIVE LIST OF ALL SCHOOL DISTRICTS
