2 schools in Denham Springs cancel classes Thursday due to teacher callouts

LIVINGSTON PARISH, La. (WAFB) - Livingston Parish Public Schools canceled classes at Denham Springs High School Thursday, March 30 because a large number of employees have declared they will be absent, and school leaders are unable to fill those vacancies with qualified personnel.

Southside Junior High will also be closed Thursday due to a shortage of employees for the campus.

Classes are expected to resume on Friday, March 31.

The Livingston Federation of Teachers released the following statement:

“Teachers across the district are hurt by the results of Saturdays election and frustrated by some of the district administration’s actions. I think the teachers at DSH were particularly upset and felt they needed to take action today. LFT will continue to work with staff across the district to make sure they feel heard and come up with long term strategies to address staff concerns.”

“The volume of absences that has been declared is greater than we can appropriately manage at this time. This large shortage of employees means campus leadership would not be able to provide a normal learning day for our students, and lacking this many personnel could create a safety concern for students and employees,” Superintendent Joe Murphy said. “Due to these circumstances, we felt the safest action at this time is to cancel classes on that campus ...”

School leaders at both campuses said they were unable to fill the declared vacancies with qualified personnel. The shortages at both campuses would have prohibited those schools from providing a normal learning day for students, as well as present safety concerns for students and employees.

Superintendent Murphy added the district uses an online self-reporting system for employees to declare absences, and to mark them as sick days and vacation days.

Denham Springs High School is the parish’s largest campus in the district. The campus employs 133 faculty and staff, not including bus drivers and food nutrition workers, who manage the day-to-day educational needs of 1,536 students.

Southside Junior High School employs 46 teachers and staff, not including bus drivers and food nutrition workers. The school has an enrollment of 552 students in grades 6-8.

The Livingston Parish School Board is set to meet on Thursday.

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