NEW ORLEANS – (Sept. 25, 2019) – NOLA Public Schools (NOLA-PS) and the New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) came together today at Dwight D. Eisenhower Charter School to remind the public about the importance of safety at our schools during the school year.
NOLA-PS Superintendent Dr. Henderson Lewis, Jr., Orleans Parish School Board (OPSB) Members John A. Brown and Leslie Ellison along with New Orleans Police Department Superintendent Shaun Ferguson spoke at the event.
“You cannot grow, live, and learn as a child, without feeling and being safe in your community,” said NOLA-PS Superintendent Dr. Henderson Lewis, Jr. “As an educator and as your superintendent, I will continue to work with the city’s key partners to ensure the students of Orleans Parish are safe coming and going from school.”
School zone hours are between 7 a.m. and 9 a.m. and between 2:45 p.m. and 4:45 p.m. Motorists are advised to carefully observe posted speed limits, and to exercise caution in school zones.
“The next time you are in the driver’s seat, remember that driving is more than just getting to and from another place,” said OPSB President John A. Brown. “As hectic as school hours may be, it does not exempt us from being careful on the roads. We must be courteous, attentive and alert of our surroundings as drivers, even when the youngest of our students may not be.”
“New Orleans – don’t forget to slow down and get off the cell phone during those busy mornings and evenings. When you drive near schools, remember that you are driving for others, not only yourself,” said OPSB Vice President Leslie Ellison. “We must drive intentionally and cautiously – it’s our responsibility to keep our children protected as they learn and play at school. Our children are the future of our city and our greatest treasure.”
About 50 school zones across the city are covered by the traffic cameras, and the City of New Orleans is in the process of adding four more. The new cameras will cover the streets near Lake Forest Charter, Einstein Charter, KIPP Morial and Fannie C. Williams Charter schools. NOLA-PS is committed to providing a safe environment for all of its students to grow and learn.
This is the second year that the NOPD and NOLA-PS have partnered to remind the public of the importance of safety on the road.