NEW ORLEANS – (Nov. 18, 2019) – On Friday, November 15, 2019, NOLA Public Schools (NOLA-PS) sent a formal letter to InspireNOLA Charter Schools notifying them of the siting of their approved charter to transform Pierre A. Capdau Charter School, which paves the way for the charter management organization to operate the school. The school serves Pre-K4 through 8th grade and is located in the Gentilly/Lakeview neighborhood.

“My goal has and continues to be to ensure that the students and families at Pierre A. Capdau are well served for generations to come,” said Superintendent of Schools Dr. Henderson Lewis, Jr. “InspireNOLA has proven to be a high-quality operator and is in good standing with all compliance measures. They possess a strong willingness to engage all stakeholders to ensure a positive and smooth transformation of the school. I believe this transition is the best path forward and am excited to see all the great things to come for students and families at Capdau in the future.”

In July of 2019, New Beginnings Schools Foundation (NBSF) voted to surrender the charters of John F. Kennedy High School and Pierre A. Capdau Charter School at the end of this academic year (June 2020). In light of that vote, NOLA-PS has spent the last four months conducting the transformation process of selecting new operators for both schools while consistently engaging with students, educators, alumni and families.

In August of 2019, NOLA-PS Superintendent Dr. Henderson Lewis, Jr. sited KIPP New Orleans Schools as the operator of John F. Kennedy High School starting in the 2020-2021 school year. Since then, NOLA-PS has been working closely with NBSF and KIPP New Orleans Schools to ensure a smooth transition of the management of the school, while keeping what is most important to students, families, and alumni top of mind throughout the process.

NOLA-PS has similar plans to work closely with InspireNOLA Charter Schools to monitor the transition process at Pierre A. Capdau Charter School.