NEW ORLEANS — A charter school in New Orleans East that just opened four years ago, is set to close after this school year.
Those at the school say they are "shocked" that the school board didn't see the student accomplishments beyond its low standardized test scores.
Now members of the school are reacting.
At Monday night's Orleans Parish School Board meeting, members heard impassioned comments from educators and students on why The Living School in New Orleans East should not be closed.
“You're not being taught what you can do for your future at any other school. You're not taught what you can do for the people around you at any other school,” said senior, Joseph Davenport.
“My ninth graders this year don't average a fifth-grade reading level. My ninth graders last year, 35 percent didn't speak English, yet they're all taking that English One Leap test, and it's all counting against our score,” said educator Eric Schroder.
NOLA Public Schools superintendent, Dr. Avis Williams detailed why the school didn't meet guidelines. Its performance grade went from a C to an F this year. So, board members voted to close the school in May, based on the superintendent's recommendation.
“Even when we looked at this year’s performance, their letter grade was our lowest performing high school within the city, but also the lowest performing high school within the state,” Dr. Williams pointed out.
Two-thirds of the 200 high school students are either special learners or English learners. On Tuesday, they reacted.
“Other schools were unpleasant, but this school, however, changed me, and I feel more safe, and more enjoyable,” said junior, Dakota Brown.
“At this school, it improved me, and I'm able to do more than I was doing at my old school, like I didn't know how to read when I first came here,” said junior, Angelle Bacchus.
“Every time I don't know something they give me the opportunity to do it again. If I mess up many times, they going to help me how I am,” said sophomore Allison Ruiz, whose first language is Spanish.
“And my message to them, I want them to know that they can find love and a sense of belonging within other schools,” said Dr. Williams.
The superintendent says that they plan to work with all the teachers at the school to keep their jobs through the end of the year, and with the national teacher shortage, there are many positions still open.
But the school's founder and CEO says that the vote to close is not the end.
“A lot of folks are approaching us with different ideas and opportunities right now, and we'll be having some community meetings next week about what we want to do next, but certainly this isn't the end of Living School,” said Stefin Pasternak, CEO and Founder of the school.
Superintendent Williams says NOLA Public Schools plans to give support to the students, to make sure they find another school where they "feel a sense of love and belonging."
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