JEFFERSON PARISH, La. – Dr. Cade Brumley, Superintendent of Jefferson Parish Schools, has released a statement regarding Governor Edwards’ order for schools to remain closed.
The district released the following statement on their website, mobile app, student information system, and social media:
Dear JP Schools Family,
Dr. Cade Brumley, Superintendent Jefferson Parish Schools
Today, Governor Edwards announced that all Louisiana school buildings will remain closed through the remainder of the 2019-20 school year. This is difficult news to hear, but we fully support the Governor’s decision. The safety of our students and employees is our top responsibility. Our state has made great progress towards flattening the curve, and we all must do everything in our power to ensure the trend continues.
This announcement means our buildings remain closed. As we have learned over the past month, “school” is much more than a building. School will continue until students’ last day on May 21. Just like it has throughout the closure, learning will continue in Jefferson Parish Schools. Our at-home learning resources are available to students in multiple forms and delivery methods.
Families with internet access should visit jpschools.org/LearnAtHome. That’s our digital hub for a diverse offering of lessons, daily schedules, as well as self-guided, student-specific online programs. We also encourage families to email their teachers, as many educators have started offering online lessons through Google Classroom. Since schools closed in mid-March, we have trained over 2,000 educators (and counting) on Google Classroom.
For our families without the technology to access online resources, we will distribute a final round of learning packets at our Grab & Go sites April 28 and 30 that will last through the end of the school year. We will also announce information this week about a laptop loaner program for the final five weeks of school.
Our Grab & Go sites will provide meals on a Monday-Wednesday-Friday schedule through the end of the school year. We will also maintain operation of our academic and emotional support call centers.
I know you have questions about what this means for your child. As a parent of school-age children, I share many of your same concerns. Louisiana is not the first state to make this difficult decision, and it won’t be the last. As we began seeing states make this call and the number of coronavirus cases rise in our region, we started planning for this possibility. Continue to visit jpschools.org/coronavirus for the most recent district updates, resources, and a running list of frequently asked questions. Teachers and principals will also be available via email for school specific questions.
Your school will be your first line of communication. We all learned about the Governor’s decision today during his public announcement. This includes our principals, teachers, and support staff. They will be in contact with families about what this means for their child. Please be patient as our educators learn and prepare information to share. If you haven’t done so before, make a habit of regularly visiting your school’s website. Those web addresses can be found at jpschools.org/schools.
I wish we had answers to all your questions right now, but we don’t. We have done our best to prepare for this situation while simultaneously leading the district through day-to-day realities of this unprecedented public health crisis. There are many moving parts and pieces. We want to make sure they all fit and work smoothly together. Please continue to check our website, free Jefferson Parish School mobile app, and our social media pages for the latest updates. As we learn more information, we will share it with you.