On my last day in New Orleans Tom and I visited with the principal of Jefferson Elementary School, a suburb west of New Orleans. This was the first day of school for Jefferson Parish schools, and everything was a bit chaotic. The principal graciously made time to meet with me, and arranged for Tom to take some pictures of the kids returning after their summer vacation. The returning children this year had sad tales to tell about their summer, because many returned to school having lost their homes to Hurricane Katrina.

Over the next few weeks I will be working with the Jefferson Elementary principal, the principal of Sebago Elementary and the superintendent of SAD61 to establish a “sister” school arrangement. Frank Gorham, the SAD61 superintendent, will donate math books to Jefferson Elementary, and Ande Lane, the Sebago Elementary principal, will have her students write letters and donate the proceeds of their “penny wars” fundraiser to the students in Louisiana. It should be a good arrangement, and the Jefferson Elementary principal was eagerly looking forward to it.

Copyright © 2005, Allen Crabtree