Classes on Monday canceled for EBR School System; child care and meals available

BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) - All classes have been canceled on Monday, August 21, for all public schools within the East Baton Rouge School System, school officials announced.

Classes will resume on Tuesday, August 22, according to Dr. Sito Narcisse.

All classes have been cancelled on Monday, August 21, for all public schools within the East Baton Rouge School System, school officials announced.

This change comes as the school system is dealing with a bus driver shortage. On Friday, more than half of the school system’s bus drivers called out sick after the school board approved a stipend instead of a pay increase for transportation workers.

RELATED: EBR School Board approves stipend for bus drivers to help with shortage

Dr. Sito Narcisse said the decision to cancel classes came after school workers were seen promoting other workers on social media to join the callouts.

All classes have been canceled on Monday, August 21, for the East Baton Rouge School System, school officials announced.

Catholic schools in EBR Parish will be open and operating as a regular day on Monday, but they will not have bus transportation.

A full plan for transportation workers will be decided on Thursday, August 24.

Due to cancellations, the YMCA announced they will be offering emergency holiday camps at the following locations from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., on Monday.

A. C. Lewis YMCA
Paula G. Manship YMCA
ExxonMobil YMCA
C. B. Pennington Jr. YMCA

Click here to register

Meal pick-up services will also be provided for students in the EBR School System Monday. Parents are urged to arrive between 8-10 a.m. and provide the names of each child. Only one breakfast and lunch meal will be supplied, according to school officials.

The following locations are listed below:

North Region: Claiborne Elementary and SPEMA
Broadmoor/Sherwood: Broadmoor Elementary and Park Forest Middle
Mid City: Capitol Middle and BRMHS
Old South: McKinley Middle and Liberty High School
Southeast: Woodlawn Elementary and Jefferson Terrace Elementary

The following is a release from the EBR Schools System:

Due to evolving circumstances, we have cancelled classes for Monday, August 21, 2023 in order for our district leadership to meet and discuss solutions with employee groups who have expressed challenges to their roles. All EBRPSS employees are still expected to show up for work, as we will be making adjustments that impact several elements of our system and schedules.
This closure applies broadly to all EBRPSS services and includes the transportation system, so there will be no buses operating Monday for charter, parochial or any other events serviced by our bus operators.
Superintendent Narcisse has worked with district and individual school leaders over the weekend to facilitate Monday meetings with each group is to talk through issues and challenges to provide solutions and get kids back to schools. He will hold separate meetings with bus operators, aides, mechanics, child nutrition workers and local union leaders.
EBR School System

This is a developing story. Check back for more updates.

Classes will resume on Tuesday, August 22, according to Dr. Sito Narcisse.

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