NOLA-PS School Closures Update Due to COVID-19

NEW ORLEANS – (March 15, 2020) – NOLA-PS, in collaboration with charter school leaders and the Mayor’s agencies, is coordinating a multi-pronged effort to ensure child nutrition services are available to families during the prolonged school closure. Though some school sites are starting food nutrition service on Monday, March 16th, the District anticipates a citywide child nutrition program to be available to families by March 23rd.

WHAT’S NEW:
 

• Families wishing to access information on where child nutrition resources should visit the District’s webpage which is being updated as more access points become available. This webpage has the most up-to-date listing of where food services are available (https://nolapublicschools.com/covid19/nutrition) .
• Food Nutrition Services this coming week, of March 16th – March 20th:
• By Monday March 16th no less than seven sites will be operational.
• By March 18th no less than 22 sites will be operational.
• Eligible families who are unable to access food resources this week should call United Way’s 211 information system which has the latest information about finding the Second Harvest food pantry nearest you. If you’re in Orleans Parish, dial 211 for assistance.

Key Details on students accessing child nutrition are:

• 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.

“We are proud to let the public know that our charter school leaders are moving quickly to support children in this time of crisis by offering food service as soon as Monday in some locations across the city. “ said Dr. Henderson Lewis Jr., Superintendent of NOLA-PS, “They are showcasing exceptional leadership and ingenuity during this time of need. We ask that our school community continue to check our online location for updates on when and where child nutrition resources will be available. More are coming online in the coming days and we want to be as clear as possible on what is available and how to access it.”

CONTINUOUS LEARNING:
NOLA-PS continues to work with the Mayor’s Office to identify internet solutions for families as we plan for prolonged Distance Learning needs. NOLA-PS will share with schools and families resources identified through this process.

SCHOOL DISTRICT OFFICES CLOSURES:
In response to the Governor’s emergency proclamation, all New Orleans Public Schools facilities are closed beginning Monday, March 16 through April 13. The closure will also include NOLA Public Schools’ central office, Mahalia Jackson Community Center, and all Family Resource Centers. Beginning March 16, non-essential NOLA-PS staff will work remotely. NOLA-PS is taking these extraordinary measures out of the abundance of caution for the safety of our students and staff. We encourage everyone to continue to check the NOLA-PS website and social media for up to the minute updates.

The District understands these are uncertain times, but by following the advice of health and city officials and working together to keep our children and educators healthy, we will persevere.

NOLA-PS continues to encourage our schools, students, and families to follow everyday practices to remain healthy and monitor their health in accordance with CDC recommendations. Additionally, the District encourages all to remain connected and mindful of updates being disseminated by the District in order to stay informed of how COVID-19 is impacting our school community. For regular District updates, please visit our Coronavirus webpage.

For more information on the virus, visit http://ldh.la.gov/Coronavirus.

For information on what to do if you are sick, visit https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/downloads/sick-with-2019-nCoV-fact-sheet.pdf.

If you have questions about Coronavirus, please contact the Coronavirus general information line at 1-855-523-2652 from 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

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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.