Bogalusa City Schools COVID-19
Information Page

COVID 19 updates

A message from Ms. Tanner on August 2, 2021:

As many of you may be aware, the Governor spoke today on the continuing rise in COVID 19, Delta Variant, cases. As he addressed the state on the numbers and cases, he stated the following:

• All citizens will be mandated by the Governor’s proclamation to wear a mask until September 1, 2021. This mandate also includes children of school age, beginning age 5. We are recommending that ALL students attending school mask, including Pre-K, especially since they are not of the age to vaccinate.

• The governor also stated that there would not be a shut-down of any sort at this time as universal masking and vaccinating would be enough to flatten the curve.

At this time, Bogalusa City Schools will open all campuses on August 5, 2021 as originally planned. All students and adults will mask while on the school campus and when riding buses.

Please make every effort to purchase a mask for your child for school, and practice wearing a mask at home with younger children. We know that this will be a huge undertaking for some, but we feel sure that it can be done for the safety of all. Masks will be worn in the buildings with 3-foot distancing practiced to the greatest extent possible.

Our schools will continue to practice handwashing, the use of hand sanitizer, and social distancing. Please encourage your children to take full advantage of all of these opportunities.

Thank you as always for allowing Bogalusa City Schools to have the opportunity to educate your child/children. We will continue to provide a safe environment in which your children can learn and our employees can teach.

Sincerely,

Lisa Tanner, Superintendent

Message from Superintendent Tanner on December 31, 2020

To the Parents and Students of Bogalusa City Schools:

I hope that everyone had a wonderful Christmas and had a restful time with family. Unfortunately, the COVID infection rate in our parish and state continues to climb. Currently, the infection rate for Washington Parish is at 15.8%, one of the highest in the state.

Due to this percentage, I believe it is in the best interest of our children and employees to keep our children home from school, completely virtual, for one more week. I will continue to watch the numbers in our area, and make a decision for the following week for children to return.

Schools and the Central office will remain open and operational during this time. Employees will report to work and we will continue to follow all precautions for preventative measures for COVID.

I pray that your New Year will be all that you imagine, and that your blessings overflow in the coming year. Stay safe, stay warm, and Happy New Year!

Sincerely,

Lisa Tanner, Superintendent

Message from Superintendent Tanner on December 15, 2020

To the parents and students of Bogalusa City Schools:

The Bogalusa City School Board met last night and voted for our schools to complete our fall semester on Friday, December 18, instead of Wednesday, December 23, 2020. Therefore, this Friday will be our last day for students and it will be only a ½ day of instruction. Students will return on Monday, January 4, 2021. All school work, whether it is virtual or face-to-face, will resume on that Monday.

At this time, it is still uncertain whether students will return to school in person or remain virtual. However, we will keep a close watch on the COVID numbers, and make a decision soon regarding learning status for our students and employees. Safety and educating our children remain the most important concerns for us. We will continue to accomplish both with the guidance from the CDC, LDOE, and LDHH.

Please continue to remember that our teachers and staff are working diligently to educate your children from afar, and they have been working around the clock to provide a learning experience that your child/children can understand and find success within. We ask that you continue to support our administrators, teachers, and staff as they reach out to you and your children, and be patient and receptive to their concern for your children’s educational needs and success.

As the Superintendent of Bogalusa City Schools, I am asking each parent and guardian to understand that our teachers are working to provide an education for your children from a distance. It is not an easy task, but they have stepped up and are working to provide the best educational experience possible. Therefore, please be mindful of their time at home, and allow them to have time at night to rejuvenate and prepare for the next day. If there is a problem with a teacher or class, I ask you to reach out to the Principal of the school, and let’s work together to solve the problem.

This has been a year unlike any of us have ever seen. I believe that the faculty and staff at our schools in BCSS have gone above and beyond in their professional endeavors to provide the best education for our children during this time of virtual learning. Please work with our teachers as they reach out to you for assistance and to help you during this time. Each call and contact made is to keep communication open and to help educate our children.

Thank you as always for allowing Bogalusa City Schools to educate your children. We take pride in providing the best for our students. I hope and pray that you all have a safe and healthy Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Sincerely,

Lisa Tanner, Superintendent

Message from Superintendent Tanner on November 20, 2020

To the families and students of Bogalusa City School System:

In an abundance of caution for our students, faculty, and staff, we have decided to continue our learning virtually until December 7, 2020 after the Thanksgiving holiday. With the continued spike in COVID 19 in recent days, we feel that this is the best decision for everyone. We know that you will be enjoying family and friends over the holiday, so with that in mind, we feel it better to see what the COVID spikes will be and make a decision from there if needed. Our teachers, staff, and central office will be at our facilities the week after the holiday to continue providing instruction and any other needs; just children will be virtual.

Please stay tuned to our website for information as it becomes available.

From our family to yours, please have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday and enjoy your family and friends. These times are unlike any we have seen before, but together we will get through it, stronger and ready for what lies ahead in educating our children.

See you on December 7, 2020.

Sincerely,

Lisa Tanner

“Every Child , Every Day”

Bogalusa City Schools’ Plan for Phase 3

September 24, 2020

BCSS will transition to a more inclusive learning plan for Phase 3. Beginning the week of October 5, 2020, the students who are currently Hybrid (coming in group A or B two days a week) will begin to come four days a week, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. Wednesday will remain a day for Virtual teachers to contact students and have conferences with virtual students needing extra help. This will include all students, Pre-K – 12 grades, who are currently Hybrid learners. All Virtual students will continue virtual learning following their regular schedule.

*After receiving feedback from school administrators and parents, BCSS will allow those students who are virtual learners to return to Face to Face learning at the end of the first nine weeks, beginning November 9, 2020. We understand that there has been some difficulty with virtual learning for some, so therefore parents of virtual learners may request, by filling out a form, to return to school. It is important that parents fill out a form requesting this move so that administrators can prepare for the transition from virtual to face to face learning for more students. The necessary form will be located at the school board office and on our website. The form will need to be returned to the School Board Office. Students who want to remain virtual learners may do so.

Grades Pre-K – 6

Students in grades Pre-K – 6 grade will begin to attend school four days a week beginning Monday, October 5, 2020. They will attend face to face on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. Wednesday will still remain a virtual day.

High School Grades 7 – 12

Students in grades 7 – 12 will also return to school four days a week and continue to follow the modified block schedule that they are following at this time. In the future we may change to a regular schedule where students have all classes in one day, but we will only consider this when the health officials declare it safe to do so.

We will move to a five-day face to face learning at all grade levels when it is safe to do so. We know that our situation has been challenging to say the least, but we are making every effort to do the absolute best for our students.

In Phase 3 all safety protocols will continue including frequent cleaning of high-touch surfaces, washing and sanitizing hands, temperature checks and screening, wearing face masks, and social distancing to the greatest extent possible. Busses may transport students at 75% capacity, and classrooms and school facilities are able to accommodate up to 50 people in a group or setting with social distancing to the greatest extent possible.

Thank you for your continued support and understanding as we transition into new learning models for our students. We knew from the beginning that our plans were fluid and ever-changing depending on the phase we are in and the guidelines put into place. Thank you again for your continued patience and support.

Superintendent’s Update September 10, 2020

Today the Governor of Louisiana has made the decision to go to Phase 3 beginning tomorrow, Friday, September 11, 2020. We are currently awaiting further details and guidance from the LDOE to assess how this will affect our school and our plans for how students will report to school in the near future.

At this time, we do not foresee changing to a 5 day a week schedule for our Hybrid students. We will move to this at a later time, possibly at the end of the nine weeks.

We want our students back in school face to face rather than in virtual settings as soon as possible. We will provide updates as soon as it becomes available.

Thank you so much for your patience as we continue to tackle the Virtual world, and provide the absolute best educational environment for our students. Please continue to watch our websites for a Parent Help desk for any of your virtual/Chromebook needs.

We will be providing information and updates as soon as they become available. Remember, buses are running and meals are being provided for our virtual students weekly.

Thank you again for your patience!

Sincerely,

Lisa Tanner, Superintendent

Superintendent’s Update July 31, 2020

Last night the Bogalusa City School Board met and voted for our school Calendar. The school Calendar that will be followed for BCSS will delay the start of school until after Labor Day.

School will begin on September 8 and we will go to school through June 11, 2021. We are required to provide quality education for 360 minutes a day, so we had to add days to the calendar even though we have omitted the WPFF (Washington Parish Fair) and Mardi Gras holidays.

The calendar will be posted on our website for you to look at. No other holidays we changed.

Virtual School applications are still being processed through next week. In last week’s letter the date was mistakenly printed, and it should have said through August 7. Please get your applications filled out on line if you are interested in Virtual School for your children. We will be setting up times for parents to come in, with their children, in small groups prior to the beginning of school, to teach each family how to log on, view lessons, and upload items.

In our calendar, we will have teachers returning the week of August 24. If you are a teacher, please watch for information from your Principals.

We continue to work diligently to prepare for the upcoming year, and we know that school will not be like it has ever been before. But, we will do our very best to provide quality education whether your child/family has chosen virtual or face-to-face options for learning. Thank you in advance for your patience as we move forward during this unprecedented time.

If you have any questions or concerns, do not hesitate to call your child’s school or drop an email in the email hotline on our website. We will call you back or email you the answer to your question.

Thank you again, and hope to see you soon!

Sincerely,

Lisa Tanner, Superintendent

Strong Start 2020

July 24, 2020

BCSS Family:

In the coming days our Strong Start 2020 plan will be updated and ready to view. We have spent many hours developing plans and protocols to keep our students and staff safe when returning to the work place and school. This document will be ever changing, depending on new updated information that becomes available concerning COVID 19.

The Louisiana State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) met last week to adopt minimum requirements for schools to reopen as required by Act 9 (House Bill 59). You can access these adopted requirements by clicking this link: https://bese.louisiana.gov/about-bese/bese-news/2020/07/14/bese-adopts-minimum-health-and-safety-standards-for-the-reopening-of-louisiana-schools

For the safety of our students and staff, we are required to follow the BESE minimum requirements. These requirements will be in our Strong Start 2020 document to reopening schools.

The Bogalusa School Board will meet next week on Thursday night to vote on our calendar for the coming school year, which may be dramatically changed concerning the start of school and opening day for our students. It is very likely that our students may not return until August 17 or after. As we continue to watch the COVID numbers rise, we will take precautions and follow the guidance of the CDC for reopening schools.

We have been meeting this week with each parent of any student who signed up for Virtual School. If you have not gotten a call for an appointment, please call 985-281-2100 for a time.

Here are a few items to be aware of for the start of school:

• Face Coverings – According to the minimum requirements for reopening schools set forth by BESE, all students in grades 3 – 12 will be required to wear face coverings while in schools. Students in grades PreK – 2 will not be required to wear face coverings, but may if they want to. Face coverings should not be derogatory, offensive, political in nature, or distracting to the school environment as determined by school administrators.

• In our Strong Start plan 2020, there will be a complete outline of what happens if a student or teacher tests positive for COVID 19.

• Water Fountains will be disconnected and turned off for regular student use, but we will be providing water bottle fill stations throughout the schools. Students will be allowed to bring water bottles to school.

• While our Virtual School remains open at this time, we will be closing registration on August 31, 2020. This will allow us to make necessary scheduling adjustments as needed prior to school starting.

• When students return to school, they will return on Hybrid days, either Monday and Tuesday, or Thursday and Friday. The students will be broken into groups depending on the first letter of their last name. You will be notified of your child’s day as time gets closer.

Please understand that our number one priority is the safety of our students and staff. We believe that our plan will afford the opportunity for parents to choose the best option for their child. We want you to be proud of your school system during this challenging time.

Thank you as always for your patience and cooperation during this time.

Sincerely,

Lisa Tanner, Superintendent

Superintendent’s Update June 1, 2020

As many of you know Governor Edwards has decided to move Louisiana to Phase 2 as of today, June 1, 2020. He will be signing his proclamation on Thursday and Phase 2 will begin on Friday, June 5. For our schools, Phase 2 will mean the following:

1. All schools will be open, but guidelines provided by the CDC will continue to be followed: Masking, social distancing, temperature checks and hand washing/anti-bacterial hand gel use.

2. Some gathering of school children may occur as long as it is no more than 25 children at a time, who also abide by the CDC guidelines. There are specific rules and guidelines for the assembly of students, and we will be following these to the letter.

We will continue to follow all precautions advised by the CDC as we begin to reopen our schools. Please continue to follow these guidelines when coming into our schools. It is most important to follow all steps to keep the COVID19 virus at bay, and not contribute to its continued spread.

We are currently working on a plan to reopen our schools and the plan will be posted on our website this week as it is finished. We hope to be back in school in the fall, with face-to-face and virtual opportunities for educating all of our children. Please remember that as we plan for the future we are keeping the safety and wellness of our students, employees, and community at the forefront of our plans. We will be providing safe learning environments and safe working environments. Thank you for entrusting the Bogalusa City School System with educating your child/children.

I pray that everyone is doing well and is ready to move forward with our Governor as we move in to Phase 2. Thank you and continue to be safe and virus free.

Sincerely,

Superintendent Lisa Tanner

Important Announcement - Grab and Go Feeding will be suspended until Monday, June 1, 2020. We will continue Summer Feeding with 3 Meals on Mondays, and 4 Meals on Thursdays at BHS at Byrd Avenue.

Superintendent’s update

May 11, 2020

On Monday, May 11, 2020, Governor Edwards announced that Louisiana is moving forward to Phase 1, Friday, May 15, 2020. This means that the stay-at-home order is being lifted. However, this does not include the re-opening of schools. We are excited that the Governor decided to move into phase 1 with our state, but Phase 1 does not mean that all precautions are to be discontinued. We must continue to practice social distancing, cover our mouth and nose when we cough, wear masks in public, wash our hands frequently, and avoid large social gatherings as much as possible.

The schools in our system will continue to remain closed until Phase 2 of the Governor’s plan to re-open the state. This is to occur in June. We will keep everyone posted of the developments as they occur.

We are working each day to provide continuous education for the students in our district, and to provide devices for virtual learning. Through the CARES Act, we will be able to provide this service. Please stay tuned to our website for the development of our plan.

Report cards will be sent home on May 22, 2020. Principals and Assistant Principals will be in their schools beginning May 26 if you have any questions concerning your child. Schools will remain closed at that time, but phone calls will be accepted.

Grab and go meals will continue at BHS and Byrd Avenue school into the month of June. We will not have grab and go meals during the week of May 25 – 29. We will resume on Monday, June 1, 2020.

We are excited to announce Early Childhood Registration for Pre-K. The registration will be held at Byrd Avenue School at 1600 Byrd Avenue this year. The registration process will be held from 8:30 – 1:30 each day during the weeks of May 18 – 22 and May 25 – 29. Please make sure to have your child’s birth certificate, social security card, shot record, proof of income or SNAP printout, utility bill, and driver’s license.

Byrd Avenue School will be having Pre-K graduation and Kindergarten Promotion. Pre-K graduation will be a drive thru recognition with pictures and a packet of information with certificates for each child. The graduation will be held from 5:00 – 6:30 pm on May 18 for Shannon James’, Katie Jones’, and Debra Dawson’s classes. Another graduation will be held on May 19 for Sandra Lusk’s, Jeannie Manton’s, and Victoria Sharp’s classes. On May 20, Kindergarten promotion will be held for the classes of S. Burton, R. Bush, T. Gray, and D. Henry. On May 21 the classes of B. O’Quin, C. Mingo, and D. Mingo will be held. Each night the ceremony will be held from 5:00 – 6:30 pm.

Continue to refer to our website for information and guidance for safely re-opening our schools.

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT

Beginning this week Grab and Go lunch and breakfasts , will be Mondays and Thursdays, instead of Mondays and Wednesdays. We are happy to announce this change is because students will now be receiving meals for 7 days instead of 5. Pick-up locations will continue to be at BHS and Byrd Avenue schools. At BHS, the pick-up spot will be behind the gym and cafeteria. There will be tables set up for pick up. At Byrd Avenue, the pick-up will be in front of the school.

Superintendent’s newsletter

May 1, 2020

Bogalusa City School System leaders have worked to approve an action plan to move district activities forward through the COVID19 school closures and anticipated return to campuses.

The 2019 – 2020 school year will end on its regularly scheduled day of May 21, 2020. BCSS will continue to provide resources for learning on our website throughout the month of May. Final report cards will be mailed home on or around May 26, 2020.

The graduation ceremony for our BHS graduates of 2020 will tentatively be held on July 9, 2020 in the Lewis Murray stadium on the Bogalusa High School campus. It is very possible that at that time we may have to limit the number of guests for the safety of the public. Social distancing may still need to be enforced, and all guests may be required to wear masks. The ceremony will live-stream on Facebook so that family members and friends can share in the celebration.

If the Governor’s stay at home order has not been lifted by this date, we will move forward with a virtual ceremony to be held on the same date.

The juniors at BHS missed their regular testing date in March for ACT. In the Bogalusa District, our students who are juniors, promoting to senior next year, will test ACT in October of the 2020 – 2021 school year. Students who will take the ACT in October, will have the opportunity to prepare for the test during the summer and when they return to school in August.

Byrd Avenue Elementary School’s Administration has announced Virtual Pre-K graduation for our students. This graduation will be held around the week of June 15^th. Please stay tuned for further information concerning this celebration. Pre-K registration will begin in the week of May 18 at Byrd Avenue School.

Bogalusa City Schools is planning to begin the 2020-2021 school year as originally planned on August 5, 2020 unless directed otherwise by the Governor.

Bogalusa City Schools will continue to post weekly on the district’s website at www.bogschools.org. and the districts social media feeds.

Superintendent Tanner’s April 17th Message

Please click on the link for more information.

Bogalusa City Schools Announces Chromebook Loaner Program

April 17, 2020

Since the school closures in Louisiana on March 16, Bogalusa City Schools has served over 11,000 meals to families, and provided optional at-home learning resources on our website. At this time BCSS is working to close the gap for our families who need additional technology devices for their students at home.

The Bogalusa City School System will begin a Chromebook loaner program for our students. We know that many of our families do not have the access they need to technology at home. Since schools have been closed for the remainder of the year, we want to help provide technology support so students can access digital learning and teaching resources for the remainder of the year.

The Chromebook loaner program will begin as soon as possible after we have contacted all parents and families to determine the need for each household. We will prioritize the students with the highest need using this information. Once students are identified, principals will reach out to those individual families to distribute Chromebooks. The district is working toward having Chromebooks for all students and families who need them. These Chromebooks will be on loan for the remainder of the school year.

We would also like to remind families to Check with AT&T and Verizon, or whomever your local phone provider is, to determine their policy for free internet or discounted internet during this time.

Please watch for a call from our system to inquire about your technology devices and internet access.

Thank you and as always God bless! Stay safe!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Bogalusa City School Superintendent Lisa Tanner

(985) 281-2110

School Buildings Remain Closed: Continuous Learning Plans for Students

As of April 13, 2020, the Governor closed all K - 12 schools in the state for the remainder of the academic year. However, our goal for learning and instruction is going to continue for our students. We realize throughout our community, teachers and families are concerned about how we will move forward to ensure student mastery of state standards without instruction in the classroom from March through May.

In the Bogalusa City School System, our plan is to continue learning through resources provided on our website. We do realize that in the near future we may be moving to distance learning as we receive more direction from the state. This option, distance learning, will be a challenge for our students, teachers, and families, but we will, through our plan, address this for all students and families.

As we move forward, our schools will re-open on August 6, 2020, for the 2020 - 2021 school year. When our schools reopen, students will be given a diagnostic assessment based upon the previous year’s content standards to determine who is not proficient in Mathematics, reading and writing (ELA). Our teachers will utilize the results of these diagnostic assessments to determine which state standards must be taught before starting new grade level content

For students who demonstrate proficiency on their diagnostic assessment in August, plans will be developed to challenge and engage our students in new learning to continue to provide rigorous and relevant activities during the beginning of the school year.

After determining the status of our students academically, we will provide instruction to address academic deficiencies before moving into new grade level academic instruction. We will address this remedial instruction during the regular school day, not an extension of the day.

As the Superintendent of Bogalusa City Schools, I would like to reassure our 2020 graduating seniors that when we are able we will have graduation ceremonies for them. At that time, we will celebrate ALL of their accomplishments as seniors.

Our meal distribution will continue beginning next week, April 20, at the two locations (Byrd Avenue and Bogalusa High School) between the hours of 10:30 and 12:00 every Monday and Wednesday. This service will continue through the end of school, May 22, and then resume with our summer feeding program.

We will continue to keep you informed of developments as we receive information from state officials and LDOE.

We realize that we are living in unprecedented times, but rest assured that our team is working around the clock every day to provide the absolute best solutions for our students. We are working to provide the best technologically available learning experience for all of our students. I know that our community and our students are not used to learning virtually, but we are hoping to use these new learning opportunities to help our students during the COVID closure.

Stay safe,

Lisa Tanner, Superintendent

Bogalusa City School System

Superintendent’s Message April 6, 2020

As many of you are aware, the Governor has extended the stay-at-home order until April 30, 2020. This order will also close schools until April 30. If you are like me, our faculties, and staff members, we are all saddened by this decree. However, it is what needs to be done to “flatten the curve” and put this COVID19 virus to rest.

The extension of the school closure does not mean that there will be no graduation ceremonies for our graduates. We will have a graduation ceremony, but it will have to be held at a later date. It will not happen in early May as usual. Please stay tuned to our website and FB pages for updates concerning graduation and other important information.

Seniors should also be on the lookout for a letter from the Superintendent concerning graduation, graduation requirements, and other important information specific to graduation.

All State assessments will be waived for this year, as well as seat time requirements and attendance. Therefore, students will be able to move onto other grades and graduate without these requirements.

We continue to put educational resources on our website weekly to enable each grade level student to work independently on material based on standards for their grade. This work will not be graded, but is provided to keep our children working academically while they are away from school.

We will continue to have grab and go lunches at our two locations, Byrd Avenue school and Bogalusa High School, this Wednesday, April 8 and then we will take a break for our Spring break, April 10 – 19. We will resume grab and go meals on April 20.

Thank you as always for your continued support of our system. We miss our students and being in SCHOOL! Remember to do your part, stay home, and wash your hands! Be safe!

Lisa Tanner, Superintendent

Superintendent’s update March 30, 2020

As I write this update for you today, it is becoming more and more evident that COVID 19 is affecting people we know and love. I pray that each of you are doing well, and have not been affected. All of you will continue to be in our prayers daily for comfort, health, and continued safety in the days to come.

Today I am reporting a change in the way that meals will be provided to our students. After much thought and prayer we decided today would be the last day for our buses to provide meals at sites throughout our city. With the number of COVID19 cases continuing to rise each day in our parish, it was imperative to cut back on this procedure in order to contain the direct contact of people as much as possible.

Beginning Wednesday, April 1, from 10:30 AM to 12:00 PM, we will have Grab and Go lunch and breakfasts ready for pick up at BHS and Byrd Avenue schools. At BHS, the pick-up spot will be behind the gym and cafeteria. There will be tables set up for pick up. At Byrd Avenue, the pick-up will be in front of the school. You need not get out of your car, you simply drive up and we will hand you the number of meals you need. Please be patient as we begin this new way of distribution for you. We will get to everyone and move as quickly as possible.

Superintendents throughout Louisiana are eagerly awaiting a decision from our Governor and Interim State Superintendent Beth Scioneaux as to what will happen with schools in the near future. As you all know, the President placed another 30-day, 6 feet social distancing proclamation through April 30, 2020. As soon as I know something, I will pass it along to you all.

Please go to our website – www.bogschools.org- and look at the resources for your child that can be used to continue learning during this time. We have done a lot of work on our site to make it user friendly and full of information to keep our children learning while at home. We have even included schedules for you and your child.

Thank you all for your patience and your kindness as we move through this unprecedented time in our history. Continue to remain safe and healthy. Remember – Faith before fear!

Sincerely,

Lisa Tanner, Superintendent

Bogalusa City Schools

Superintendent Tanner’s Newsletter March 26, 2020

I am happy to announce several new things to announce this week as I write today’s update.

First, BCSS is happy to announce that we are now able to send “push notifications” via the Educational Networks App. Due to this new APP, BCSS stakeholders will never miss an important announcement again.

It is necessary for each person to subscribe to the notifications. Open your Apple App Store or Google Play APP on your smart phone and search for Educational Networks. Once the APP is open follow the instructions, enter Louisiana as the state, then enter Bogalusa as the district, and then you will be able to select Bogalusa City Schools. Be sure to allow push notifications.

Second, we would like to ask each family to take a short survey found on our website. Before we can move forward we would like to make sure of the internet access our families have and the devices, if any, that they own at home. This will help us make decisions about how to proceed in the future with our resources and distance learning. The survey is found on our website, www.bogschools.org, under links, labeled distance learning survey. Please click on it, and answer the 4 – 5 questions on the survey to help us out.

Graduating seniors – we are awaiting a decision as early as next week on when and how we will hold graduation and ACT testing. The High School Administration will be contacting parents about graduation supplies in the week to come and how to go about getting them. Please watch for the JCALL.

I will continue to update our community and parents bi-weekly at the very least with new information as we get it. For now, please stay safe and stay at home! The only way we can get back to our normal routine is to flatten the curve. And only WE can make that happen.

Thank you as always for your attention to these matters and for entrusting Bogalusa City Schools with your children.

Lisa Tanner, Superintendent

Update from Superintendent Tanner – March 23, 2020

It gives me great pleasure to come to you as the Superintendent and say how wonderful it has been having the ability and staff to continue to bring meals to our students. It has taken many employees – CNP managers and technicians, Supervisors, bus drivers, para-professionals, Principals and Assistant Principals and volunteers to bring this service to our community. I am so proud and thankful for each and every one of them who help us provide this service to our community.

I want to also say a hearty thank you to each and every child and family member who has been so appreciative of the meals that we are able to provide. I have been overcome by the thankfulness and appreciation shown to myself and my staff when delivering meals. Thank you so much for that! It means a lot.

At this time, we will continue to provide meals to our students through April 8, 2020. That will bring us up to the April 13 date that the Governor has been using as a return to school date. If this date changes, we will re-evaluate. We will deliver only on Monday and Wednesday – Monday each child will receive two breakfasts and two lunches and on Wednesday three of each to bring the total to 10 for each child.

Please continue to be patient with us as we continue to provide this service to our students. It is a daunting endeavor, but we are making it happen. The smiles on the faces of our students is well worth the effort!

Many graduating seniors are questioning their prom and graduation date. At this time, we will not prepare to do anything until we hear from the Governor as to when we will return to school. I will work diligently to move forward with anything for the senior class as best I can.

Thank you again to everyone and I pray that everyone is healthy and remains safe.

See you on a meal stop!

Lisa Tanner, Superintendent

Bogalusa City School System Update March 20, 2020

Please click here for the latest update from Superintendent Tanner, including the changes to the student meal delivery schedule.

Bogalusa City School System Update March 18, 2020

Today Bogalusa City Schools provided breakfast and lunch to around 850 children! What a blessing! Thank you to all who helped and thank you to our community for their expressions of thanks and appreciation! We are so happy to be able to do this for our students! We will see everyone again tomorrow! So great seeing all those smiling faces!

Superintendent Tanner

Bogalusa City School System Update March 16, 2020

School Lunch

After much thought and consideration for our students in the Bogalusa City School System, the following sites and times will be used for delivery of meals. At least one student must be present when receiving the meal. Our system will be preparing breakfast and lunch beginning March 18 and delivering them to the following stops:

BUS #11

A and J Store 10:30

Allen Temple Church 10:45

Sweet Beulah Church 11:00

St. Paul Church 11:15

Ebenezer Church 11:30

BUS #27

Columbia Street School 10:30

Highland Park housing complex 10:45

Main Street park 11:00

Bogalusa Grill 11:15

BUS #10

Byrd Avenue School 10:30

United Pentecostal Church 10:45

Thomas Boulevard and Blueberry Drive 11:00

BUS #18

First Baptist Church 10:30

Pleasant Hill School 10:45

Westside Emmanuel Church 11:00

Dawn’s Dance Academy 11:15

BUS # 7

Bogalusa Project 10:30

Bethlehem Church 10:45

River Terrace Housing 11:00

BUS # 22

Rio Fire Station 10:30

Patten Sausage Co. 10:45

Grubb’s Parking Lot 11:00

Mount Olive Church 11:15

Emmanuel Baptist Church 11:30

BUS # 19

Corner of Michigan and Sabine Street 10:30

Country Super Store 10:45

Harry’s Chapel Church 11:00

BUS # 29

Bogalusa (Bogue) Housing Authority/Sunset Acres 10:30

Terrace School 10:45

Northside School 11:00

North Border Drive and Tampa Street 11:15

**These times are approximate.

Thank you in advance for your patience as we work to bring this service to our community.

• Spring Break will continue as planned for April 13 – 17.

• All school activities have been cancelled until further notice.

• BHS’ graduation date will continue as planned.

• All school facilities are closed until further notice.

Educational resources are available on our website to continue learning during this time. The use of these resources is

optional for our students. These resources are not meant to take the place of classroom instruction.

March 15, 2020 Update

Bogalusa City School Families and Community:

As all of you well know by now the Bogalusa City School District will be closed beginning Monday, March 16 through April 13. All school buildings will be closed and all activities - including school instruction, child care, preschool, health services, parent teacher conferences, student registration, and sports will be canceled until further notice.

We realize the decision the governor had to make was not made easily. As the Superintendent, I know the role our schools play in the greater community and I realize that this closure will impact our most vulnerable families. We all in the Bogalusa City School District recognize that our school system provides consistency and predictability for our families. Also we know that we have families who depend on our schools to provide child care and meals for their children.

We are following the guidelines from the Louisiana Department of Education to provide for the needs of our school community, and we will continue to work with the state to bring you up to date information on what the extended school closure will mean for our students.

The district will not require online distance learning for our students, as we cannot ensure that all students have the accessibility to learning virtually. Many of our students do not have regular access to technology or the internet. However, we will provide resources on www.bogschools.org These resources have been made available for students in Louisiana for student learning during this time they are absent from school. We encourage you all to utilize these resources while at home. Please know that these resources will NOT take the place of actual regular classroom instruction. It is simply meant to be used as a supplement for student learning during this time.

We are also in the planning stages to provide grab-and –go breakfast and lunch for our students. They will be provided throughout our district at specific sites. Please continue to monitor the district website for this information.

While we are on this extended shut down, we will take steps to sanitize both schools and administration buildings. During this time, no one will be allowed on the campuses. We are not sure when this will begin, but we will work to have the sites clean and ready to return.

I want to say a hearty thank you to everyone for their understanding and continued commitment to prioritize safety for our students, staff, and school community. Also a huge thank you to our students and families. Your patience has not gone unnoticed.

Thank you to our staff. Whether you are leading our schools, providing instruction, serving on the school board, cleaning our buildings, feeding our children, completing payroll, or providing services to our families, I say thank you.

Thank you also to our community members, including the Parish President, Parish government officials, medical and emergency personnel., as well as our elected officials who continuously work to keep our communities healthy and safe.

Please continue to look for updated information on our website www.bogschools.org as we will continue to keep our information updated regularly. Pleas follow us on Facebook and twitter.

Meanwhile, we encourage you to continue to follow the CDC guidelines to prevent any further spread of the virus.

Lisa Tanner, Superintendent