A Letter to Catholic School Families

September 2, 2021

To all Catholic school families of the Archdiocese of New Orleans,

I pray that you all are safe. Know that all our Catholic school families have been in my prayers as our communities work to recover and rebuild after Hurricane Ida.

I know there is a great deal of stress and anxiety amongst parents and families because of the uncertainty of the situation. Please allow me to share a few important thoughts as we move forward.

As we have previously announced, all schools are closed to in-person and virtual learning through at least September 6th. It is highly likely this will be extended for most of our schools. We are receiving reports of power restoration to some schools on the Northshore, which offers a sign of hope! We will continue to assess whether it is feasible or practical to institute remote learning on a school-by-school basis as we move forward.

Our school leaders are working to assess and report damages to campuses. For those that experienced damage, repairs can begin once an adjuster has visited the property to make a formal report. I am so grateful to those of you who have volunteered to clean up campuses and appreciate your patience as we work through the recovery and repair processes.

Recovery is going to take time. All of our operations are determined by the return of utilities, specifically power and water. Some regions of the Archdiocese of New Orleans may be able to reopen sooner than others. In some cases, schools in the same area may not be able to reopen at the same time due to various issues. We ask you to please have patience as we await restoration of power and are able to fully assess all school systems to ensure a safe return to campus.

Please know our goal is to return to our campuses as soon as safely possible and to provide as much information and resources to our families as we can during this time.

Again, my prayers are with you and your school communities as we work through recovery. Let us remember, God will provide.

Sincerely in Christ,

Dr. RaeNell B. Houston
Superintendent of Catholic Schools
Executive Director, Department of Catholic Education and Faith Formation