Hurricane Katrina Update
PLAQUEMINES PARISH SCHOOL BUS ALERT!
Due to the evacuation of Plaquemines residents during Hurricane Katrina, many Plaquemines Parish school buses have been displaced throughout the state. If anyone sees a Plaquemines Parish school bus outside Plaquemines Parish, please call the Transportation Department at (504) 392-5583 or the Plaquemines Parish School Board Belle Chasse Office at (504) 392-4970 to report the location of the bus as well as the bus number.
Due to Hurricanes Rita & Katrina,
payroll will be delayed by approximately 2 business days. Your
direct deposit will be available in your account by then.
(Posted September 22, 2005)
Message to parents, students and employees of the Plaquemines Parish School District
September 20, 2005
Belle Chasse Primary School is registering students for Homeschooling. They are located at 539 F. Edward Hebert Blvd., Belle Chasse, LA 70037. Registration is from 9am until Noon. Pick up supplies, curriculum and books the day after you register from Noon until 2pm. If you have any questions, please call (504) 393-8940.
September 19, 2005
- Once a definite date for school reopening is announced, EVERY student will need to re-register. Dates, times, and places will be announced concerning registration. Please tune in to WWL or check postings on our district website for definite dates.
- When schools reopen, ALL students of Plaquemines Parish will be educated in the three Belle Chasse area schools.
- State Superintendent Cecil Picard has announced since the beginning of this disaster that all parents should register their children in another school system. If that is not possible, register your child with a State approved home studies program.
- If you are considering home schooling your child, please pick up a registration packet at Belle Chasse Primary School (504) 393-8940.
Please know that the Plaquemines Parish School Board, administrators, teachers, and staff are working very diligently to get our school system up and running. We understand that in this difficult time you are anxious to give your children some sence of normalcy and get them back to school. It is our top priority to do the same, and we are working as quickly as possible to make this school year happen.
If you have further concerns, please call the Belle Chasse Primary School at (504) 393-8940 or the Belle Chasse Central Office at (504) 392-4970.
September 9, 2005
To All Parents and Students of the Plaquemines Parish Schools
We would like to clear up any and all rumors and miscommunications that might have occurred about the future of our 2005 - 2006 school year in Plaquemines.
We are cooperating fully with parish officials to make sure that we have safe, secure schools for our students to attend. Due to the amount of damage caused by Hurricane Katrina throughout the parish on both sides of the river and the numbers of emergency and rescue personnel in Belle Chasse, the estimated opening of schools in Plaquemines will not occur until approximately January. At that time we will open our three schools in Belle Chasse for all the students in the parish.
In the meantime it is imperative that all Plaquemines students enroll in school wherever they are. We look forward to the time when we are safely back in Plaquemines together.
Watch for further updates on louisianaschools.net and ppsb.org.
Please know that you are in our hearts and prayers in these challenging times.
Sharon Branan
School Board President
James Hoyle
Superintendent
September 9, 2005
To All Employees of the Plaquemines Parish School Board
We would like to clear up any and all rumors and miscommunications that might have occurred about the future of our 2005 - 2006 school year in Plaquemines.
We are cooperating fully with parish officials to make sure that we have safe, secure schools for our students to attend. Due to the amount of damage caused by Hurricane Katrina throughout the parish on both sides of the river and the numbers of emergency and rescue personnel in Belle Chasse, the estimated opening of schools in Plaquemines will not occur until approximately January.At that time we will open our three schools in Belle Chasse for all the students in the parish.
At this point we can assure you that you will receive your September and October base paychecks. These checks would not include extra curricular duty pay, for example sponsorships or athletic duties. We are working diligently on securing funds to continue to pay your salaries and benefits until we get back to work. Please call the number below if you do not have direct deposit since that will be the only source of payment.
In the meantime we encourage you to seek other employment if you can find it. State officials have confirmed that securing other employment will not jeopardize receiving your pay from PPSB.
We want you to know that we appreciate each and every employee. We want to keep all employees. The state department is firm in its commitment to keeping in tact one of the best systems in the state - Plaquemines.
We need information from you. Please call our temporary offices in the Louisiana Department of Education to inform us where you are and your status: 225-342-1872 or 225-342-1548.
Watch for further updates on louisianaschools.net and ppsb.org.
Please know that you are in our hearts and prayers in these challenging times.
Sharon Branan
School Board President
James Hoyle
Superintendent
Message from Plaquemines Parish School Superintendent James Hoyle
September 7, 2005
Message to 12-month Employees Who Did Not Have Direct Deposit for August Check
If you are a 12-month employee who did not have direct deposit and thus did not receive your August 30th check, please call our Plaquemines Parish state department number 225-342-1872 or 225-342-1548 with the following information:
- Name
- Social Security Number
- Present Address for Mailout
When we send the check, we will include a direct deposit application which we encourage you to return as soon as possible so that you will be able to receive any subsequent checks by direct deposit. Return your completed direct deposit application to Louisiana Department of Education, P.O. Box 94064, Baton Rouge, LA 70804-9064, Attention: Plaquemines Parish, Room 5-168.
Further information will be coming out about September 25th and 30th checks.
September 7, 2005
My prayers are with the people of Plaquemines Parish. This is a dark hour for our parish, as some residents have lost their lives, countless homes have been destroyed, and much of the East Bank and lower end of the parish remain underwater. Additionally, there has been confirmed wind and flood damage at most of our schools. At this point, it is too early to speculate when schools will reopen in Plaquemines. Because of this, here are a few things you should do as soon as possible:
- Wherever you are, enroll your child in school. Do not allow this tragedy to interfere with your child’s education. The Louisiana Department of Education is now urging parishes to enroll hurricane evacuees. In addition, Texas, as well as surrounding states will enroll Louisiana evacuees without transcripts.
- In recent conversations with School Board President Sharon Branan and other school board members, the continued disbursement of employee paychecks was discussed. Although no official vote has been taken, the board, as well as the administration, is investigating a plan for keeping its payroll for as long as financially feasible. However, the state superintendent is urging displaced teachers to seek employment in other parishes with the understanding that they will return to Plaquemines Parish when schools are operational.
- Please let Plaquemines Parish officials know if you are OK. You can register yourself and keep in touch with parish residents on NOLA.com. Additionally, we are working to get www.ppsb.org up as soon as possible.
Again, my prayers are with you. As a school system, we must rebound from this tragedy. We must grieve our losses – and then we must clean up, rebuild, and move forward. Mankind is at its most innovative when its back is against the wall. I am confident there is a bright future in Plaquemines Parish.
James Hoyle
Superintendent of Schools
PPSB-mail