NEW ORLEANS – Early this morning the City of New Orleans along with the Sewage & Water Board (S&WB) alerted residents of diminished pumping capacity for the East Bank of New Orleans west of the Industrial Canal. Out of an abundance of caution the Orleans Parish School Board (OPSB) announced all direct-run New Orleans schools will be closed on Thursday, Aug. 10.
The OPSB also announced all OPSB and Recovery School District (RSD) schools have decided to close schools Friday, Aug. 11. The decision applies to students and classes for all direct run public and public charter schools throughout Orleans Parish.
“The safety of students is our number one priority,” said OPSB President John Brown, Sr. “Due to low pump capacity and forecast of rain there is a real threat of widespread flooding. I support the Superintendent and school leaders closing schools out of an abundance of caution."
Essential personnel from both OPSB and RSD will remain on duty to monitor the situation throughout the coming days. Both OPSB Superintendent Dr. Henderson Lewis, Jr. and RSD Superintendent Kunjan Narechania urge families and staff to adhere to all warnings from the city to ensure their safety.
OPSB currently oversees 41 schools, including 20 networked Charter schools, 17 non-networked Charter schools, four network schools and one educational program for students in secure care facilities.
Other schools that announced closures today include:
• Audubon Charter
• Benjamin Franklin High School
• Edgar P. Harney Charter school
• International High School of New Orleans
• Morris Jeff Community School