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NEW ORLEANS – (Jan. 24, 2020) – On Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2020, NOLA Public Schools (NOLA-PS) notified Joseph A. Craig Charter School faculty, staff and families, of the siting of Joseph A. Craig to Homer A. Plessy Community School. Homer A. Plessy Community will be responsible for the school’s operation and management beginning on July 1, 2020. The school serves Pre-K4 through 8th grade and is currently located in the French Quarter area in the McDonogh 15 building. Beginning in the 2020-21 school year, Homer A. Plessy will be located on both the Craig and McDonogh 15 campuses.
“In December it was determined that new leadership was needed to serve the students and families of the Joseph A. Craig school,” said NOLA-PS Superintendent of Schools Dr. Henderson Lewis, Jr. “Of the two eligible school operators that applied to manage the school, Homer A. Plessy was best suited to meet the needs of its students. We will continue to support and engage with all of the school’s faculty, staff, families and community members throughout the 2019-2020 school year as well as throughout its transition.”
In November of 2019, NOLA-PS Superintendent Dr. Henderson Lewis, Jr. recommended to the Orleans Parish School Board (OPSB) that the charter contract with Friends of King not be renewed due to its failure to meet renewal standards for the school per district policy. NOLA-PS has spent the past several months conducting an open siting process to determine a new operator for Joseph A. Craig beginning in the 2020-21 school year. There were two eligible operators that applied to operate Joseph A. Craig. These applicants submitted required information to NOLA-PS. In early January, the district held engagement sessions for families, students, and staff to learn more about the two interested operators.
In considering the applicants’ required submissions, feedback provided at engagement events, and portfolio analysis, NOLA-PS Superintendent Dr. Henderson Lewis has approved the siting of Joseph A. Craig to Homer A. Plessy Community School.
NOLA Public Schools will work closely with Joseph A. Craig and Homer A. Plessy throughout this year to ensure a smooth transition of management of the school.
ABOUT NOLA PUBLIC SCHOOLS: NOLA Public Schools is the public school district for Orleans Parish, which includes the district’s elected school board, known as the Orleans Parish School Board and the district’s administration led by NOLA Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Henderson Lewis Jr. NOLA Public Schools currently oversees 78 public schools. For more information, visit www.nolapublicschools.com. For updates, follow NOLA Public Schools on Facebook @NOLAPublicSchools, Instagram @nolaps and Twitter @NOLAPSchools.###
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NEW ORLEANS – (Jan. 17, 2020) – On Thursday, January 16, the Orleans Parish School Board (OPSB) voted to approve NOLA Public Schools (NOLA-PS) Superintendent Dr. Henderson Lewis, Jr.’s proposal for the Systemwide Needs Program (SWNP). The program will invest roughly $9 million over the next three years to help better address and fund teacher training and mentoring while also providing increased mental health and behavioral support for students who have been impacted by trauma.
“Quality, talented teachers have the inherent ability to open our students’ eyes and minds to new opportunities and prepare them to achieve their educational dreams,” said NOLA-PS Superintendent Dr. Henderson Lewis, Jr. “These funds will allow us to invest in two critical areas that support our schools: our teacher workforce as well as behavioral and mental health supports for our students. We believe that this program will help us attract, continually develop, and retain teachers from diverse backgrounds, especially those with local roots, and better equip our schools to support students impacted by trauma. In tandem, these efforts will help our children flourish.”
In the spring of 2019 through an act of the Louisiana State Legislature, the SWNP was established to support initiatives that will result in districtwide improvements. In response, the Superintendent developed the plan that will support the recruitment of teachers from diverse backgrounds.
Last night, OPSB Board Members approved the plan, which was created with input from multiple parties including teacher, student and parent advisory councils, and informed by ongoing engagement and communication with community partners. NOLA-PS has identified teacher talent and specialized student programming and support as the two focus areas for investment. Execution of the program will include:
• Teacher Talent:
o To grow, diversify, and sustain the teacher pipeline, the plan will:
incentivize undergraduates from local university programs to conduct teacher residencies in NOLA Public Schools,
support local programs designed to recruit teachers to teach in NOLA-PS,
incentivize current teachers to attain certification in high-needs areas and National Board Certification,
secure the recruitment and training for new teachers through existing pipeline programs.
oTo help support this focus, SWMP will provide stipends for student teachers, tuition incentives for current teachers seeking certification, and innovative pipeline grants focused on training and recruiting local college students.
o In an effort to sustain the current teacher pipeline, the program will support the training and recruitment of 220 teachers, with an increased focus on cultural competence.
o To ensure new teacher success and promote teacher retention, citywide training and support will be offered to train and mentor teachers.
•Specialized Student Programming and Supports:
o To increase students’ access to mental and behavioral support, resources will be devoted to sustaining and growing restorative programming for middle school students.
o SWNP would fund professional development opportunities for school staff and social workers dedicated to addressing the topic of mental and behavioral support for students in schools.
o Training will also be offered to school-based staff on therapeutic crisis management to better equip them to support students across a continuum of needs, inclusive of trauma and those in crisis.
Funds will be allocated through a competitive process, as state and local policy dictates, and recipients awarded funds must demonstrate that at least twenty-five percent of the funds it will expend to achieve its proposal are from sources other than SWNP.
ABOUT NOLA PUBLIC SCHOOLS: NOLA Public Schools is the public school district for Orleans Parish, which includes the district’s elected school board, known as the Orleans Parish School Board and the district’s administration led by NOLA Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Henderson Lewis Jr. NOLA Public Schools currently oversees 78 public schools. For more information, visit www.nolapublicschools.com. For updates, follow NOLA Public Schools on Facebook @NOLAPublicSchools, Instagram @nolaps and Twitter @NOLAPSchools.
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OneApp timeline shifted to better accommodate the district’s students, families, teachers and schools
NEW ORLEANS – (Nov. 22, 2019) – NOLA Public Schools (NOLA-PS) is notifying families that the Main Round of OneApp, the unified application process to enroll in New Orleans Public Schools, opens today Friday, Nov. 22, 2019 and closes Jan. 31, 2020. Closing the application a month earlier will allow us to deliver results to K-12 families sooner.
Families will be informed of their students’ placements during the month of March, which will also allow us to provide results from Round 2 sooner. Schools with additional admission requirements will continue to have an early deadline of Jan. 15, 2020.
The shift in the timeline of the OneApp process will also assist schools in facilitating record transfers, finalizing student rosters, and support transitions earlier than in previous years.
Through the OneApp platform, NOLA-PS provides students and families with the opportunity to choose a school that best suits their interests and needs through the centralized enrollment process. This speaks to the focus named in the district’s outlined vision that every student receives a high-quality education that fosters his or her individual capabilities.
Families need to submit a OneApp application for the 2020-2021 school year if their student meets any of the following criteria:
Families who would like to remain at their current school should not submit a OneApp application.
Parents are also reminded that applying earlier in the Main Round does not increase their likelihood of assignment. However, OneApp does offer priorities for student placement based on additional factors, including the school enrollment of a student’s sibling and their geography in relation to the school.
Before submitting an application for next school year, NOLA-PS encourages families to research school choices. To assist in this process, NOLA Public Schools provides several resources:
Families that do not participate in the Main Round are welcome to participate in the second round of OneApp, which is scheduled to open one week after the Main Round results are released.
Want to understand how OneApp works? Please read answers to Frequently Asked Questions or send an email to oneapp@nolapublicschools.com for help!
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ABOUT NOLA PUBLIC SCHOOLS: NOLA Public Schools is the public school district for Orleans Parish, which includes the district’s elected school board, known as the Orleans Parish School Board and the district’s administration led by NOLA Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Henderson Lewis Jr. NOLA Public Schools currently oversees 78 public schools. For more information, visit www.nolapublicschools.com. For updates, follow NOLA Public Schools on Facebook @NOLAPublicSchools, Instagram @nolaps and Twitter @NOLAPSchools.
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NEW ORLEANS – (November 27, 2019) – Today, NOLA Public Schools (NOLA-PS) Superintendent of Schools Dr. Henderson Lewis Jr. and members of the Orleans Parish School Board joined family and friends of Mrs. Leonora F. Barnett to celebrate her 102nd birthday. The retired New Orleans public school teacher dedicated more than 42 years of her life to serving the students of Orleans Parish.
Barnett served as an educator in Orleans Parish public schools for more than 42 years.
Mrs. Barnett taught at Valena C. Jones, Medard H. Nelson, Fisk-Howard, and McDonogh #24 Elementary Schools. During her tenure as an educator, she enjoyed teaching her students on an array of elementary school subjects from reading and writing to math. Mrs. Barnett retired with 42.69 years of service on June 7, 1986 and is currently NOLA Public Schools’ oldest living known retiree.
“It has been an honor to be able to celebrate the birthday of Mrs. Leonora F. Barnett alongside her family and friends today,” said Dr. Henderson Lewis Jr. “The retired New Orleans public school teacher spent decades in the classroom which was a testament to her unwavering dedication to our students and schools. Mrs. Barnett serves as an inspiration to all of our teachers across our community of schools.”
The birthday celebration took place at Covenant Nursing Home in New Orleans, Louisiana. Members of the Orleans Parish School Board who were present included President John A. Brown, Sr., Vice President Leslie Ellison and Ethan Ashley. They were joined by New Orleans City Councilmember Jay H. Banks.
“Mrs. Barnett’s career was committed to inspiring and instilling a love of learning in the hundreds of students in her classrooms. Her enthusiasm for education has positively shaped our school community in tremendous ways,” said OPSB Board President John A. Brown, Sr.
“Throughout her career as a NOLA Public Schools’ teacher Mrs. Barnett helped shape a bright future for her students by igniting their imaginations to achieve great things, even when faced with challenges. We appreciate her decades of service and wish her a happy birthday,” said OPSB Vice President Leslie Ellison.
“It’s an inspiration to recognize Mrs. Barnett’s nearly 43-years as an educator in our public school system. The impact that she has made will live on for generations, as she was devoted to uplifting the lives of her students both in and out of the classroom,” said OPSB Board Member Ethan Ashley.
After retirement, Mrs. Barnett’s family confirms she taught GED classes at Odyssey House. Mrs. Barnett is a graduate of McDonogh 35 High School. According to relatives, she attended Straight University and graduated from Dillard University, and did graduate work while in her 60s at UNO.
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ABOUT NOLA PUBLIC SCHOOLS: NOLA Public Schools is the public school district for Orleans Parish, which includes the district’s elected school board, known as the Orleans Parish School Board and the district’s administration led by NOLA Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Henderson Lewis Jr. NOLA Public Schools currently oversees 78 public schools. For more information, visit www.nolapublicschools.com.
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Decision Will Increase per Student Funding; Allow District To Recover From Upcoming Cuts To State Funding.
NEW ORLEANS – (November 19, 2019) – At a special meeting of the Orleans Parish School Board (OPSB) this evening, district board members voted unanimously to fully roll forward the millages dedicated to public education in Orleans Parish. The new revenue generated will total $325 dollars on average per student per year. Ninety-eight percent of the total funds that come to the OPSB go directly to Parish public schools.
"Today our locally elected school board members took a vital step toward improving our schools as they voted fully roll forward school millages that will result in the addition of urgently needed funding for our city’s children,” said NOLA Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Henderson Lewis, Jr. “I want to commend them on their leadership and commitment to what is best for our community. This essential decision by the school board means our schools will not be harmed by cuts to state funding while ensuring that NOLA Public Schools (NOLA-PS) receive critical dollars to better serve students and support teachers.”
Prior to the board vote, advocates from local charter school organizations and education organizations voiced their support for a full roll forward of the millages in a public hearing. Such an increase will allow schools to make critical enhancements including increasing employee salaries, benefits and incentives so schools can compete to hire and retain the best educators. Additionally the funds will provide for the purchase of schoolbooks and other supplies, and enable more enrichment programming to be offered.
“I’m proud of the steps my fellow board members took today to act as champions for our children and schools,” said OPSB Board President John A. Brown. “As we heard from our many educators, parents, home owners and fellow citizens earlier, these funds are badly needed. This vote will allow us to make a concerted financial investment in our district’s future as we continue to provide an equitable, challenging and inspiring education for our city’s youth.”
The reassessment of property in Orleans Parish put the OPSB in a unique position. Assessments directly affect the amount of state funding the district receives for public education. As local assessments rise, state funding for Orleans Parish public schools will have a $9.1 million net decrease each year moving forward.
The OPSB’s actions today recognize the crucial need for these resources and the invaluable effect they will have on students today and into the future.
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ABOUT NOLA PUBLIC SCHOOLS: NOLA Public Schools is the public school district for Orleans Parish, which includes the district’s elected school board, known as the Orleans Parish School Board and the district’s administration led by NOLA Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Henderson Lewis Jr. NOLA Public Schools currently oversees 78 public schools. For more information, visit www.nolapublicschools.com. For updates, follow NOLA Public Schools on Facebook @NOLAPublicSchools, Instagram @nolaps and Twitter @NOLAPSchools
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