Hurricane Isaac plays havoc with school return plans at Audubon, ISL and ENCORE

While most New Orleans schools had planned to reopen Tuesday after Hurricane Isaac, Audubon Charter School received such extensive damage to both of its campuses that it will remain closed for another week; the International School of Louisiana has postponed reopening until Thursday while it finishes cleaning its campuses; and ENCORE Academy students will return Tuesday to their temporary home at Touro, as the storm delayed completion of their Crocker campus yet again, school officials said.

The Carrollton campus of Audubon Charter School already had serious roof leaks, allowing Isaac’s wind and rain to cause substantial problems, and the temporary campus in Gentilly was also damaged, according to the school website:

The Carrollton Campus sustained extensive water/roof damage Hurricane Issac. The Gentilly Campus experienced moderate roof leaks in a number of classrooms. Due to the extent of damages and needed repairs both campuses will remain closed until Monday, September 10, 2012. Maintenance crews will continue to work to ready the buildings as quickly as possible.

We appreciate your patience and support during this challenging time. We know this is inconvenient for families, but we need to ensure that the schools are safe and dry before students return. The school offices are closed until further notice. We will continue to utilize the phone broadcast system, the school’s website and the local news media.

The International School of Louisiana had intended to reopen Tuesday, but lack of electricity has slowed cleanup efforts, according to an email from Head of Schools Sean Wilson:

Crews have been busy at the schools preparing them for opening Tuesday, September 4, 2012; however, the lack of electricity to the buildings has delayed the cleaning efforts and thus the start of school for two more days. We anticipate having all buildings energized in the near future. Our returning to a sense of normalcy with school is contingent on how quickly Entergy repairs the damage that is impeding our recovery and return. We expect all ISL schools to resume Thursday, September 6, 2012.

We will work with the Department of Education as to how we can adjust our current school year calendar to make up the days we have missed. There are several items to consider and we hope to bring viable solutions to the table within a few days of school resuming.

Finally, ENCORE Academy students will return to school Tuesday, but not to their expected new home at the Crocker site on Marengo, which remains unfinished because of weather delays. Instead, they will go back to Touro Synagogue, which has been hosting them their first few weeks, writes school leader Terri L. Smith:

We believe it is in the best interest of the children to get them back in school as soon as possible. Therefore, we will resume classes Tuesday. As you know, we originally planned to hold open house events at the new site Tuesday and not have classes, however we will remain at the Touro site for at least a week as the storm forced the final construction on the new building to stop prior to the onset of Isaac.

Please, plan to send your children to school Tuesday so that they may get back into a routine in a learning environment, and be cool and comfortable. Our day will run as it did at the Touro site prior to the storm, 8:30-3:30, and buses will be operating. We will be serving breakfast, lunch, and snack to all of our students. If you have questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to email or call.

Students will return to all three campuses of Lusher Charter School on Tuesday morning, according to school CEO Kathy Riedlinger.

Lycée Français de la Nouvelle-Orléans had very little damage and will reopen Tuesday, wrote general director Jean-Jacques Grandiere in an email.

Due to hurricane Isaac, Lycee Francais had to close its two campuses last week. On the Patton campus, the building did not suffer any flooding. One window on the second floor was broken. Lots of branches in the courtyard, and a wooden fence belonging to st Francis of Assissi was damaged. The church people will clean this afternoon. On Claiborne, no damage to report. So Lycee Francais will reopen Tuesday September 4th. Normal operations will resume. Our thoughts go to the other schools which unfortunately will have to delay their re-opening.

Officials with the Recovery School District and the Orleans Parish School board said all direct-run schools will return Tuesday morning.