All Lafayette Parish School System (LPSS) sites will remain closed on Friday, January 24, due to continued impacts of this week’s extreme cold weather. Several key factors contributed to this decision:
- Water Conservation Requests: Lafayette Utilities System (LUS) and other providers have requested that customers conserve water while temperatures remain below freezing at night.
- Boil Advisories: Boil water advisories have been issued for several areas, affecting a number of LPSS schools.
- Campus Inspections: The LPSS Facilities team, along with custodians and administrators, must inspect approximately 50 sites across Lafayette Parish. Ensuring their safety while traveling and providing sufficient time for thorough assessments is a top priority.
- Roadway Conditions: Water left on roads may refreeze Thursday night, creating unsafe travel conditions for buses and staff vehicles.
Superintendent Francis Touchet, Jr., explained the decision to delay reopening schools:
"Delaying the reopening of schools will give our teams the opportunity to not only identify but address any issues that this week's extremely cold temperatures caused. We also don’t want to put more strain on local water systems. I urge everyone to be ready to get back to the classroom on Monday so we can resume instruction and ensure students' success."
January 21, 2025
The Lafayette Parish School System (LPSS) leadership continues to closely monitor the extreme cold weather and its impact on school operations. As we work to keep the community informed, we want to share the process and challenges involved in determining whether schools will open on Friday, January 24.
- Campus Assessments
Facilities team members and administrators must visit each campus to assess whether heating systems are operational and water pipes are not frozen. Ensuring that all campuses are safe and functional is our top priority.
- Safety of Staff
Our staff members' safety is paramount. We are in close communication with local emergency preparedness officials and law enforcement to determine when it is safe to travel to schools for these assessments.
- Impact on Families
We recognize that school closures create challenges for parents and guardians. However, we cannot reopen schools unless we are confident they have adequate heat and water service to support students and staff.
- Transportation Safety
Our transportation team is actively monitoring road conditions. Safe travel for buses, staff, and students is a critical factor in our decision-making process.
Superintendent Francis Touchet, Jr., reiterated the district's commitment to balancing safety and the need for instructional time:
"Every day a student is not in class represents lost instruction time. The state requires us to administer testing within a window, and our standardized tests are scheduled to start on April 1. It's our responsibility to ensure that students are academically ready for success, but I will never sacrifice their safety."
Superintendent Touchet also encouraged parents and guardians to stay informed through official LPSS communication channels, including the website, social media, and the J-Campus app.
"We understand the strain school closures can cause, and we are working diligently to make the best decisions for our students' education and safety," he added.
Thank you for your patience and understanding as we navigate this challenging situation. We will provide updates as soon as new information becomes available.
January 21, 2025
The Lafayette Parish School System (LPSS) has announced that all schools will remain closed on Thursday, January 23, due to the ongoing effects of the historic snow event and dangerously low temperatures. Road conditions remain unsafe for travel as ice continues to pose significant risks, and local law enforcement has advised drivers to avoid traveling until conditions improve.
LPSS Facilities teams and administrators will use this time to inspect each campus, ensuring that all systems—including water, electricity, and heating—are fully operational before students return to classrooms.
Superintendent Francis Touchet, Jr., emphasized the district’s commitment to safety:
"The goal is and always will be to continue instruction safely. We want to make sure that our teams are safe traveling to each campus, and our local meteorologists are telling us that travel may not be possible until noon on Thursday. We need to make sure that our students return to school with water, electricity, and heat."
The LPSS leadership team will reassess conditions on Thursday afternoon to determine whether students can return to school on Friday. Parents and guardians are encouraged to stay updated through the LPSS website, Facebook page, local news broadcasts, and the J-Campus app.
January 17, 2025
Lafayette Parish School System (LPSS) officials have announced that all schools will be closed on Tuesday, January 21, 2025, and Wednesday, January 22, 2025, due to expected Arctic cold weather and the possibility of snow and/or freezing precipitation. Superintendent Francis Touchet, Jr., emphasized the district’s focus on safety in making this decision.
"I feel confident in making this call today to allow parents to prepare for students to be home and not subjected to the bitterly cold temperatures and wind chill,” said Superintendent Touchet. “Additionally, a combination of freezing temperatures and wet weather, in whatever form, could create hazardous road conditions which would make travel by any means, especially buses, dangerous.”
If conditions permit, the LPSS Facilities team and school administration will inspect campuses to assess water and heating systems on Wednesday afternoon. The district will also continue monitoring weather forecasts, temperatures, and road conditions to determine if schools can safely reopen on Thursday, January 23, 2025.
“Getting students back into the classroom is always the goal,” Superintendent Touchet added, “but I will only allow campuses to open if we are certain that it's safe to do so.”
Parents, staff, and community stakeholders are encouraged to stay informed by checking the LPSS website, following the district’s Facebook page, tuning into local media outlets, and enabling notifications on the J-Campus app for real-time updates.
January 15, 2025
LPSS is actively monitoring the weather forecast for the week of January 20 in collaboration with local meteorologists and the Office of Emergency Preparedness. Forecasts currently predict an extended period of freezing or below-freezing temperatures, with the potential for frozen precipitation.
According to weather experts, confidence in a wintry mix will increase as the Arctic air approaches. To ensure informed decision-making, the LPSS leadership team will meet on Friday morning to review the latest updates. If the forecast becomes more certain, a decision regarding school closures will be made at that time.
Superintendent Francis Touchet, Jr., assures parents and the community that safety remains the district's highest priority:
"At LPSS, safety is more than a priority—it’s a core value. Every decision we make is driven by our commitment to ensuring the well-being of our students and staff."
Rest assured, any necessary school closures will be announced no later than Sunday morning. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation as we navigate this weather situation. For the latest updates, please visit our website, follow us on Facebook, tune into local broadcast stations, or enable notifications in J-Campus.