Dear NOLA-PS Family and Community, As we continue to experience the many uncertainties of this pandemic, I am in awe of the strength, perseverance, and love that the members of our NOLA Public Schools community have shown for each other. Our schools continue to connect our students to learning during these challenging times; excelling at an effort that many school districts across the country continue to struggle with. We are ahead of the curve because we are approaching the Omicron surge as a team. Our school leaders come together regularly to share ideas on how to continue to keep our students, teachers, and support staff safe while preserving in-person learning wherever possible. We continue to stay true to our data-driven, medically advised approach to COVID safety. We continue to mask up, maintain social distancing whenever possible, and get tested often. In fact, our schools tested more than 18,000 students and staff in the first week of January – many before students and teachers ever set foot in classrooms – which gave our schools the support to stay open when so many other school districts are closed. That is a tremendous effort! Keep it up. Now is the time to double down on our proactive approach. I have set February 1 as the deadline for all eligible NOLA-PS students, 5 and up, to be fully vaccinated. We were among the first districts in the nation to do this, and it is essential that we follow through so that our students can get the most out of the second half of their school year and to protect their health and safety in the future. There are opportunities all over the city to get the vaccine: you can visit www.nolapublicschools.com/vaccinations or ready.nola.gov for more information. Let’s all do our part because we are stronger, together. Our commitment to community has a deeper, more hopeful meaning as we honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. this weekend. He understood that the march to equality could not be done alone. Let us continue to come together in every aspect of our lives so that we can truly realize his dream that everyone can live with meaning and fulfillment, together and without fear. Lastly, I want to thank our School Board members for their leadership. January is School Board Recognition Month, and their commitment to strengthening the education of our 46,000 students is unparalleled. I credit their sound advice and thoughtful approach with positioning NOLA-PS for great success. We are all grateful for their service. As we march toward Spring, let care for others guide you. Again, we all know we are stronger when we are together. In Service, Dr. Henderson Lewis, Jr.
Vaccinations are vital to our students' success
- Details
