- WHO: Orleans Public Education Network (OPEN)
- WHAT: "Let The Circle Be Unbroken" ONE STEP
Education Convening
- WHEN: October 8, 2011, 10:00am - 2:30pm
- WHERE: Kingsley House, 1600 Constance
NEW ORLEANS - Since Hurricane Katrina in the summer of
2005, the Orleans public school system has had major
reform, redesign and restructure. With the Recovery
School District (RSD) taking over all of the failing
public schools in New Orleans, the influx of Charter
Schools, and the closing of other schools, a process of
which the community had very little or no input or idea
of what was going on.
"For the longest time public education reform has
been something that had been done TO the community, and
not WITH the community." Says Deirdre Johnson-Burel,
Executive Director for OPEN
Approximately one year ago, The Orleans Public Education
(OPEN) convened at the Dryades YMCA to kick off our ONE
STEP campaign, a year-long venture that involved
engaging the entire New Orleans community with the face
of education reform. By encouraging and logistically
supporting the community's quest to identify best
practices in several disparaged areas in public
education, OPEN has created a movement of parents,
educators, residents and students that demands quality
education for all children in New Orleans.
The ONE STEP convening is an event that brings together
voices of the community in a dialogue on the future of
public education in New Orleans. Key issues impacting
the quality of public education will be highlighted at
the convening and community members will engage in
conversations and activities that will generate ideas
and recommendations for a community vision for public
education. This community vision will serve as the
foundation for a public education policy agenda,
community engagement efforts, and school-community
partnerships that represent the vision and interests of
the people of New Orleans.
