Most of the school districts in areas damaged by Hurricane Katrina are preparing to reopen schools in the coming weeks.
Louisiana
District/Enrollment
Reopening Date
Damage Report
New Orleans/60,000
Some schools may reopen by January
All but eight of 126 New Orleans district schools sustained major damage. Most of the damage has not been determined. Floodwater was being pumped from city.
Archdiocese of New Orleans(Catholic)/49,500
Some schools to reopen this month
Jefferson Parish Catholic schools expected to open Oct. 3. Orleans Parish schools won’t reopen at lease until January. St. Bernard Parish schools are closed for school year.
Jefferson Parish/51,650
Some schools to reopen Oct. 3
Nine of 84 schools must be rebuilt; 11 have little damage and will reopen soon. Two administrative buildings were destroyed; another suffered significant damage.
St. Tammany Parish/34,000
Oct.3
Five of 51 schools are currently unusable. Administrative employees were to report to work Sept. 19; teachers are scheduled to start Sept. 26.
St. Charles Paris/9,600
Sept. 15
All 19 schools suffered some damage, none of it major. All have reopened. District is asking motor-home owners to make their vehicles available to district employees who can’t return to damaged homes.
St. Bernard Parish/8,800
No date set
All 15 schools are believed to be flooded. Parish remained flooded last week. district officials haven’t been able to assess damage, but estimate it will reach $100 million.
New Orleans-area independent schools/6,000
Christ Episcopal reopened Sept. 12; nine of 11 other independent schools to reopen in January.
One school, St. Paul’s Episcopal School, was severely damaged by flooding. Many others suffered only wind damage.
Plaquemines Parish/5,000
Planning to reopen in January
Six of nine schools were flooded; roof of one and a section of another were blown off. Three other schools had minor damage. Plans to reopen with all students attending the campuses with minor damage.
Mississippi
District/Enrollment
Reopening Date
Damage Report
Harrison county/13,300
Between Oct. 3 and 14
Three of the district’s 18 schools were severely damaged and will likely close for the school year. Some schools will operate on double shifts, and portable classrooms will be used.
Pascagoula/7,500
Between Oct. 1 and 17
Unavailable
Biloxi/6,200
Sept. 26
Two of 11 schools closed for the school year for repairs. Students at closed schools will attend neighboring schools in the district.
Gulfport/6,200
One elementary school scheduled to reopen Oct.3
Some damage to district’s 11 schools, but building will open in coming weeks.
Ocean Springs/4,600
Sept. 26
All of the district’s eight schools sustained at least some storm damage. High school football game slated for Sept. 17.
Long Beach/3,300
Oct. 3
Severe damage to one elementary school. District’s four other public schools had some damage.
Bay St. Louis-Waveland/2,200
Not announced
Unavailable
Pass Christian/2,000
Between Oct. 3 and 14
One of four schools is in rubble; two others are badly flooded. District schools will reopen in portable classrooms at Delisle Elementary School, which was moderately damaged.
Alabama
District/Enrollment
Reopening Date
Damage Report
Mobile County/66,900
Most schools in 101-campus district reopened Sept. 12
Damage to schools estimated at $12 million or more. Middle school with destroyed roof may be torn down. Students attending another school on double shifts.
Baldwin County/26,500
Schools reopened Sept. 6
All 46 schools opened after emergency roof repairs. Openings delayed by fuel shortages, power outages.
SOURCE: Education Week
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