ST. HELENA PARISH- Schools in St. Helena Parish are taking the lead in kicking off the new (digital) school year among south Louisiana's public schools by opening these virtual classrooms on Monday, August 3. 

Due to increased COVID-19 cases in the state and parish, St. Helena school officials decided to introduce students to the new school year via an eLearning platform. This means all students are working from home. On its website, St. Helena school officials note that "while this may be inconvenient for a lot of families, we must consider the health and safety of our students, faculty, and staff. "

Health experts in the parish say this is the most effective way to begin the school year and they've already made preparations related to health safety that will be implemented should a decline in cases allow some students choose to return to in-person classrooms after Labor Day (September 7).

After that date, St. Helena Schools will have nurse practitioners and other medical personnel on campus to help mitigate exposure to the virus.

These healthcare workers will also take action should a student or employee display symptoms associated with COVID-19. The nurse practitioner would take the lead in helping the student or employee take a COVID-19 test and then in assisting the school in thoroughly sanitizing buildings and taking measures to protect all students, staff, and other employees from the virus.   

Click here for more information on St. Helena Parish's 2020 fall semester.