Catholic Schools to Reopen as They Are Able

Catholic schools in the Diocese of Baton Rouge are opening as they are able, according to Catholic Schools Superintendent Dr. Melanie Palmisano. 

Three schools opened days after Hurricane Ida slammed into the Louisiana coastline packing winds of 140 miles per hour. Several other schools, especially those in East Baton Rouge Parish, were planning to reopen Sept. 7, she said. 

For schools that sustained damage reopening may be at least two weeks away.

Palmisano said Catholic of Pointe Coupee in New Roads, St. John Interparochial School in Plaquemine and St. Jude the Apostle School in Baton Rouge opened days after Hurricane Ida swept through the area.

“(St. Jude principal Michelle Gardiner) said (the school) had electricity and even though several families did not have electricity (parents) were happy to have their kids in school,” Palmisano said. 

Holy Ghost School and St. Thomas Aquinas Regional High School, both in Hammond, took on water. Even though the water came in and flowed out quickly, and the levels did not reach three or four feet, before reopening the schools would have to be cleaned up and remediated, Palmisano said. 

Mater Dolorosa School in Independence and St. Joseph School in Ponchatoula were also damaged.

Plus, according to an Entergy timeline released Sept. 2, areas in Tangipahoa Civil Parish may be without electricity for several weeks.

“Our four Tangipahoa Parish schools did not fare as well (as others),” Palmisano said. 

St. Peter Chanel School in Paulina and St. Elizabeth School in Paincourtville were also damaged to varying degrees. St. Elizabeth was expected to reopen Sept. 7 and cleaning and repairs were ongoing at St. Peter.

“We are in pretty good shape,” she said, adding that 10% of the Catholic schools had opened by Sept. 3, five days after Ida, one of the strongest storms to ever strike Louisiana, took a direct path through the eastern part of the diocese.  

Palmisano said each school must have electricity, running water and the fire alarms operational before opening. She added that most schools will have food service available but if not, parents will send lunches with their children.

“We will not stop school if they don’t have food service,” Palmisano said.

Opening days will be determined by each school principal with approval from the Catholic Schools Office.  

“In a Catholic school system, they open as quickly as they can at each site,” Palmisano said. “We don’t wait for each other. We want to serve as many families as possible.”

She said there will likely be no virtual classes.