January 23, 2025

Dear Plaquemines Parish Families:

As Superintendent of Plaquemines Parish Schools, I want to share an update on how we have been addressing the challenges brought by this extreme cold weather. While the snow brought a rare and exciting beauty to our area, it also reminded us that, here in South Louisiana, we are not accustomed to dealing with the icy aftermath. The freezing temperatures and their impact on our schools and community have required careful planning and collaboration.

Over the past two days, our facilities team and administrators visited every campus to assess the functionality of heating systems and to ensure water pipes had not frozen. At some campuses, including South Plaquemines High and Boothville-Venice Elementary, we identified issues with low water pressure, particularly affecting water flow to the second stories of these elevated buildings. Additionally, at Belle Chasse Elementary, the backflow preventer burst due to freezing temperatures, and a separate waterline issue is also awaiting repair. These challenges underscored the importance of ensuring our schools were fully ready before reopening.

Transportation Safety

Another key factor was road conditions, which raised significant concerns. As the snow melted and refroze, the side streets became especially hazardous, particularly for buses traveling through icy neighborhood streets. Watching students waiting at bus stops in these conditions added to our concerns for their safety. Our transportation team closely monitored the situation to ensure that buses, staff, and students could travel safely before making any decisions about reopening schools.

Staff Safety

The safety of our staff was also critical. We worked closely with local emergency preparedness officials and law enforcement to determine when it was safe for staff to travel to campuses to conduct these assessments. Their well-being remained a top priority throughout this process.

Impact on Families

I deeply understand the strain that school closures place on parents and guardians. We worked as quickly and efficiently as possible, but I want to emphasize that we would not reopen schools until we were confident that all facilities were safe and had adequate heat and water to support our students and staff.                           

Balancing Safety and Instructional Time

I recognize how critical instructional time is, especially with standardized testing quickly approaching. However, the safety of our students and staff will always take precedence over any schedule or deadline.

I will make a final decision about school closures for Friday, January 24th, by 3:00 p.m. today. Please continue to monitor our official communication channels, including the Plaquemines Parish School Board website, social media, and other updates.

Thank you for your patience, understanding, and support as we navigate these unique challenges together.

Respectfully,

Dr. Shelley Ritz

Superintendent, 

Plaquemines Parish Schools