NEW ORLEANS – The following are statements from Orleans Parish School Board Superintendent Dr. Henderson Lewis Jr. and OPSB Board President John A. Brown Sr. following Tuesday’s severe weather event and the status and recovery efforts of Orleans Parish Schools:
Orleans Parish School Board Superintendent Dr. Henderson Lewis, Jr.:
I visited several schools, spoke with staff and students, and saw the damage firsthand. I want to extend my condolences and express my concern for all those personally affected by this catastrophic event. I also want to thank the many OPSB employees who remained calm and continued to lead, teach and comfort our students throughout the course of these events.
Among those schools that suffered a loss of power as a result of Tuesday’s severe weather was OPSB’s Einstein Sherwood Forest. The campus at Sherwood Forest will be closed until power is restored to the area. Pre-K – second grade students will observe the school closure. Students in grades 3 – 5 will attend class at Sarah T. Reed High School until power is restored to their campus.
ReNEW Schaumburg Elementary, another school in Orleans Parish that suffered loss of power and structural damage, will be closed the remainder of the school year and expects to relocate classes to Frances Gaudet Elementary School beginning Wednesday, Feb. 15.
Resurrection of Our Lord Elementary School and New Orleans Adventist Academy also experienced power outages due to Tuesday’s tornado. Both schools will remain closed through Friday.
We know of 12 OPSB employees who have been directly impacted by the storm. We are working to gather additional information and encourage those interested in supporting our community, employees and the families impacted by the storm to visit Einstein Academies Tornado Relief. In addition, those in need of assistance may also visit nola.gov/ready to access a comprehensive list of community partners that are working to support impacted families. We will continue to update our website with new information and resources.
We are a resilient city that has overcome many challenges. As we have in the past, we will recover and rebuild together. Thank you again for your professionalism and dedication to our students.
Our thoughts and prayers are with all students, families and staff members.
OPSB Board President and District 1 Board Member John A. Brown Sr.:
Our primary concern is for the welfare of those who were affected by Tuesday's tornado. OPSB will do everything possible to ensure school children of this area are well cared for during challenging times.
