The International School of Louisiana’a Camp Street campus.
Although the school sits in the Lower Garden District neighborhood, it does not need the approval of the city’s Historic District Landmarks Commission to install the temporary classrooms, officials have said. But the school must still appear in a public hearing before the HDLC before it can receive a building permit to begin the installation, said Head of Schools Sean Wilson, and the school’s plan is not on the HDLC agenda until July 18.
“We have to go through that process,” board chair Andrew Yon said during Wednesday’s meeting of the school board.
Even under a best-case scenario in which the school receives a building permit immediately following that hearing — which there is no guarantee of, either, board members noted — the modular classrooms will take three days for delivery, followed by at least four weeks to install them, Wilson said. And that schedule is dependent on the cooperation of the New Orleans weather in August, hardly a reliable ally.
Realistically, the school cannot expect to have the use of the modular classrooms until September, well after the mid-August start of school, Wilson said. With no other options nearby on such short notice, the eight middle-grade classes slated to move into the modulars will likely have to be housed at the Olivier Street on the Westbank during that time, Wilson said.
Among other issues at Wednesday’s meeting were the final approval of the school’s budget, concerns about the OneApp enrollment system, plans for this year’s Head of Schools assessment, and a changing of the gavel as Matt Amoss was chosen to succeed Yon as president of the school’s governing board. See below for live coverage of the meeting.
An absolute cluster-turd development orchestrated by the mismanagement of unqualified clowns who wormed their way into top managerial positions with no education experience amid the fog of Hurricane Katrina — realizing they could somehow make more than they ever dreamed of suckling off the teat of public education than in the private sector. So hell bent were they on expanding, in willy-nilly McDonald’s franchise-like fashion, to Algiers and Jeff that they have taken their eyes off the ball of their flagship campus and diluted their “brand” — to the chagrin (and worse) of parents, neighbors, and potential supporters. Tests scores have risen thanks to the hard work of dedicated, underpaid teachers teachers and involved parents. What else has risen? Administrative salaries. This is insane.
As an ISL parent and someone who has been very satisfied with the level of education my child has received, I find your comment vulgar and just plain wrong. The administration that you’re indicting has been very dedicated and extremely caring towards parents, teachers and kids. I understand being frustrated with this latest development, but this kind of response is deplorable.
David Winkler-Schmit
Modular buildings? Really … trailers
It is true. This school’s administration and management do not have a clue. From the outside it appears to be a top-notch school, but do not be fooled.