12:27 PM CDT on Tuesday, April 18, 2006

Jennifer Huntley / WWL-TV News Reporter

Three more schools opened in Orleans Parish on Tuesday as the city takes yet another step toward normalcy.

The State Department of Education opened Joseph Craig Elementary, Benjamin Banneker Elementary and Joseph Clark High School. The state will maintain control over the schools, which are likely to be the last public schools to reopen in Orleans Parish before the end of the school year in June.

"It's great that the schools are opening, because that will give the people a chance to come back home, because now they'll know that there is education,” said Joann Duvernay, grandparent to one of the students at Joseph Craig.

While some students have been in schools in other towns or other states, others have not been in class at all. It’s another reason why state officials wanted to get as many schools open in Orleans Parish.

“This does give them an opportunity to begin to catch up. At Clark High School, it will give some of the students there the opportunity to at least earn a half year credit, because we'll be doing double-blocking and those sorts of things and we can try to give them a full semester’s worth of credit,” said Asst. Superintendent Robin Jarvis with the State Dept. of Education.

State officials have planned on opening more schools in the fall. For now, 25 schools had already opened in Orleans Parish – many of them part of the state takeover. Officials said the big difference in the schools now run by the state is the quality of staff.

“When you think about the rebuilding process, this is where it starts. We have to start with our children first,” said teacher Montreal Stamps.

When those additional public schools reopen in Orleans Parish next fall, the state hopes to keep those new schools under their control.

For more info:

Sign your child up for classes: www.louisianaschools.net