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NEW ORLEANS – (Sept. 17, 2019) – On Saturday, September 14, NOLA Public Schools (NOLA-PS) and the Audubon Nature Institute held their second annual Back to School Fest at the Audubon Zoo to provide families with the chance to access back-to-school resources, learn about the upcoming school year and meet fellow members of the NOLA-PS community. The event had more than 1,500 attendees and student performers who also received free admission to the zoo for the day.
“As an educator and as a Superintendent, it’s important we recognize that education exists both inside and outside of the classroom. Education is a commitment that we can look forward to and celebrate at the start of every school year,” said Superintendent of Schools Dr. Henderson Lewis, Jr. “Learning can and should be fun. Thanks to partners like the Audubon Nature Institute, we can foster an enthusiasm for school.”
In addition to the numerous resources the Back to School Fest provided to families through 21 on-site vendors (such as the New Orleans Public Library, the Urban League of New Orleans and more), participants also enjoyed performances from Einstein Choir, Rosenwald Collegiate Band, Alice M. Harte Charter School and Booker T. Washington High School Marching Bands.
Students were also able to receive free health services and consultations from the Daughters of Charity and participated in a giveaway for an XBOX 360 thanks to a generous donation made by CORE Construction Company. Throughout the event, Back to School Fest host Kelder Summers kept families entertained and excited to kick off the new school year. Several Orleans Parish School Board members were also present for the festivities, including President John A. Brown, Sr., Vice President Leslie Ellison, Ethan Ashley and Nolan Marshall, Jr.
"Investing in our children is an investment in the future,” said Rebecca Dietz, Executive Vice President of Public Affairs and General Counsel. “At Audubon we strongly believe that and are proud to partner on initiatives like this Back to School Fest to showcase the wonders of nature to the city’s future conservationists, arborists and animal care experts."
Audubon Nature Institute offers a wide variety of educational programs ranging from field trips to summer camps. The Zoo, Aquarium and the Butterfly Garden and Insectarium are world-class attractions that offer unique experiences for students of all ages to learn about wildlife and conservation. Audubon Nature Institute operates a family of museums, parks and research facilities dedicated to celebrating the wonders of nature.
Through innovative live animal exhibits, education programs, and scientific discovery, Audubon makes a meaningful contribution to preserving wildlife for the future. Audubon Nature Institute flagships include Audubon Park, Audubon Zoo, Audubon Aquarium of the Americas, Entergy Giant Screen Theater, Audubon Butterfly Garden and Insectarium, Audubon Louisiana Nature Center, Freeport-McMoRan Audubon Species Survival Center, Woldenberg Riverfront Park and Audubon Wilderness Park.
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 - (Aug. 30, 2019) – NOLA Public Schools (NOLA-PS) and the Orleans Parish School Board (OPSB) will be rescheduling a public hearing that was slated for Thursday, September 26, 2019 to consider levying additional or increased millage rates. In the interim and leading up to the new date NOLA-PS and OPSB will to continue to engage with all stakeholders. As is customary when considering changes to a millage, the NOLA-PS and OPSB provide opportunities for the public to learn more about the proposed changes and provide feedback ahead of any action taken. The public hearing will be rescheduled to a later meeting this fall. A public notice for the later hearing will be mailed and posted when the hearing date has been determined. # # # 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, including 75 charter schools, three direct-operated schools and a school with two educational programs for students in secure-care facilities. 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 – (Aug. 23, 2019) – This week, NOLA Public Schools (NOLA-PS) hosted the third annual Citywide Summer Graduation Ceremony honoring Orleans Parish public school students who completed required coursework over the summer of 2019. Thirty-one seniors from eight schools took part in the graduation ceremony at New Orleans Jazz Market. NOLA-PS began summer graduation ceremonies in 2017 in an effort to ensure all graduates are celebrated with a ceremony regardless of when they finish classes. HIGH RES PHOTOS OF THE GRADUATION CEREMONY AND B-ROLL ARE AVAILABLE HERE
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NEW ORLEANS - (August 28, 2019) The Louisiana Department of Education released statewide progress data results and for the second year in a row NOLA Public schools are outperforming statewide averages for growth, specifically across all four sub-groups reported by the state. The announcement comes after the LDOE released their annual statewide progress data.
“Our school system is making meaningful progress towards all of our students mastering essential skills in English Language Arts and Math. We should all be very proud of the progress being made and that we continue to outperform the state and our peer districts on the number of students making top growth, year over year.” said NOLA-PS Superintendent of Schools Dr. Henderson Lewis, Jr. “I want to thank our local educators for their hard work and commitment to moving all of our students ahead, especially those that have historically been underserved across our state.”
The 2019 student progress results bring additional context to the 2019 LEAP 2025 assessment results and show as a district, that:
- For the second year in a row, NOLA public school students met or exceeded the both the state and other large school districts’ top growth rate in math and English Language Arts (ELA).
| School System | 2019 % Top Growth in ELA | 2019 % Top Growth in Math |
|---|---|---|
| Orleans Parish | 47% | 46% |
| Louisiana Statewide | 47% | 44% |
• For the second year in a row, NOLA Public Schools are exceeding Louisiana and similar parishes in top growth for historically disadvantaged students, including African-American and Students with Disabilities. This means more students in NOLA Public Schools who are African-American, Economically Disadvantaged, English Language Learners and have disabilities are on track to achieve grade-level expectations by 8th and 10th grades than students in these other large districts and across Louisiana.
| 2019 % Top Growth, By School System | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Subgroup | Orleans Parish | Louisiana Statewide | East Baton Rouge Parish (includes RSD) | Jefferson Parish | Caddo Parish |
| Black or African-American | 45% | 43% | 44% | 42% | 40% |
| Econ. Disadvantaged | 45% | 44% | 44% | 44% | 40% |
| English Language Learner | 46% | 45% | 43% | 42% | 42% |
| Students with Disabilities | 43% | 42% | 43% | 39% | 41% |
- NOLA Public Schools had six schools identified as “Outstanding Schools” from across the state based upon their impact helping students grow year over year.
| NOLA Public Schools Identified as "Outstanding Schools" for Student Progress |
|---|
| Benjamin Franklin High School |
| Dwight D. Eisenhower Charter School |
| Lake Forest Charter School |
| Paul Habans Charter School |
| McDonogh 42 Charter School |
| Andrew H. Wilson Charter School |
• NOLA Public Schools has 26 schools exceed the state’s rate of top growth in both ELA and Math.
| NOLA Public Schools that Exceeded State's Top Growth Rate in Math and ELA | ||
|---|---|---|
| School Name | ELA (Grades 3-8, English I & II) 2019 Top Growth | Math (Grades 3-8, Alegebra I & Geometry) 2019 Top Growth |
| Homer A. Plessy Community School | 60 | 48 |
| Paul Habans Charter School | 59 | 63 |
| ReNEW Dolores T. Aaron Elementary | 50 | 46 |
| Mildred Osborne Charter School | 51 | 52 |
| Akili Academy of New Orleans | 54 | 45 |
| Livingston Collegiate Academy | 48 | 50 |
| Esperanza Charter School | 52 | 54 |
| Martin Behrman Charter Acad of Creative Arts & Sci | 51 | 46 |
| KIPP Morial | 52 | 51 |
| KIPP Renaissance | 52 | 50 |
| KIPP Leadership | 56 | 46 |
| Samuel J. Green Charter School | 52 | 57 |
| Arthur Ashe Charter School | 48 | 49 |
| Phillis Wheatley Community School | 49 | 48 |
| Langston Hughes Charter Academy | 51 | 47 |
| Audubon Charter School | 50 | 46 |
| Einstein Charter School at Village De L'Est | 54 | 48 |
| Benjamin Franklin High school | 74 | 68 |
| Alice M Harte Elementary Charter School | 56 | 59 |
| Lusher Charter School | 56 | 54 |
| Lake Forest Elementary Charter School | 63 | 64 |
| Wilson Charter School | 54 | 65 |
| Einstein Charter High School at Sarah Towles Reed | 48 | 55 |
| Einstein Charter Middle School at Sarah Towles Reed | 48 | 45 |
| McDonogh 42 Charter School | 56 | 66 |
The student progress measure will make up 25 percent of an elementary or middle school's overall performance score and 12.5 percent of a high school's overall performance score.
Click here to learn more about 2019 LEAP 2025 Student Progress.
To access detailed breakdowns of the statewide data, visit the PK-8 and High School Performance libraries.
Media Contact:
Tania Dall, NOLA-PS Director of Communications, (504) 206-6611, communications@opsb.us
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ABOUT NOLA PUBLIC SCHOOLS: NOLA Public Schools (NOLA-PS) 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 – (August 22, 2019) – This evening, NOLA Public Schools (NOLA-PS) Superintendent Dr. Henderson Lewis, Jr. will announce that KIPP New Orleans Schools, a high quality charter operator in the school district, will be granted the authority to manage John F. Kennedy High School starting in the 20-21 school year. Dr. Lewis will make his announcement to the Orleans Parish School Board today, Thursday, August 22 at 5:30pm at the regular board business meeting.
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