UPDATE: City officials announced at a 7 a.m. press conference that all Orleans Parish schools will be closed on August 10 due to the enhanced flood risk. All Archdiocesan schools have also closed for the day.
NEW ORLEANS – The Orleans Parish School Board has closed all schools it runs directly and is encouraging all charter schools to close as well.
Mayor Landrieu announced overnight that a fire at a pumping station has greatly diminished pumping capacity on the East Bank of Orleans Parish, leaving most of the city at a great risk for flooding today with heavy rains are predicted.
The main OPSB offices will also be closed today, with only essential staff to remain on duty to monitor the situation.
The OPSB 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.
Lake Area High School, Pierre Capdau Charter, Nelson Charter, Encore Academy, Edna Karr High School, McMain Secondary School, Alice Harte Charter School, 42 Charter School, Morris Jeff Charter, International High School of New Orleans, and Andrew Wilson Charter School have also all closed for the day.
All schools in the Algiers Charter School Network are also closed today, as well as all KIPP schools in Orleans Parish.