December 4, 2024
Dear IHSNO Families,
It is with a heavy heart that I write to you today.
This year is IHSNO’s charter renewal year. As you know, we recently received our School Performance Score. Although we are proud that our score increased this year, we were just 0.1 points shy of earning a C.
We are grateful that the Louisiana Department of Education has recommended to the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) to renew our charter for an additional three years with conditions.
However, after careful and thoughtful consideration on how to best meet the needs of our school community, our board of trustees, with full support from our administration, has decided to withdraw our intent to renew our charter. Please know that this decision was not made lightly but with our students’ best interests in mind. Our top priority is and has always been our students and their future.
IHSNO opened in 2009 by a group of parents who wanted a more internationally-minded education for their children, while maintaining their connection to the local community. We are proud to have been able to provide that global education for thousands of graduates over the past 15 years.
As you know, in January of this year, we moved to our current location as per the recommendation of NOLA-PS. Even though we have been in this building for under a year, it has provided us with so many challenges. The building does not offer a conducive learning environment for our students and is lacking the facilities that our students need for a well-rounded high school experience, such as an auditorium and a gym.
We believe that our students deserve to learn in buildings with the latest technology and advancements to ensure they are well-prepared for the future. Upon reflection during the charter renewal process, we recognize these challenges and humbly acknowledge that the best way that we can truly set our students up for success is by helping them find new schools that can provide the facilities they need to thrive.
By choosing not to renew our charter, IHSNO will close at the end of the 2024-2025 school year. IHSNO remains committed to ensuring that our current students continue to receive world-class education this year so that they can finish the year strong and be ready for their next chapter. Throughout the remainder of this school year, IHSNO will offer additional resources, including academic and social-emotional supports, for our students to better prepare them for their transition.
In addition, to further prepare our students and families for the following school year, IHSNO has partnered with New Schools for New Orleans (NSNO) to provide our families with other resources and support as they apply to new schools.
Resource Night
NSNO representatives will be on the IHSNO campus to answer questions from parents/guardians about the NCAP process and to help families complete their NCAP form.
Priority Placement
During the Main Round, NOLA-PS will offer all IHSNO students residing in Orleans Parish with priority access to available seats at any school within the NOLA-PS Common Application Process (NCAP) for which they are eligible. The NCAP Main Round will be accepting applications through January 24, 2025. For those who need it, IHSNO and NSNO will help families complete their NCAP form.
High School Performance Sheet
We will provide students and families with a high school performance sheet to help students select their new high school.
English Learners
IHSNO and NSNO will connect our EL students with schools that have the faculty and dedicated resources needed to best serve their needs.
Although this is a heartbreaking letter to write and the path may be difficult, I truly believe this decision will ultimately benefit our students and our families. By giving our families appropriate notice, we can truly support you as we help you find the right next step in your student’s educational journey.
We will host a parent meeting in January to answer any questions you may have about the transition, provide supports with the NCAP, and discuss our plan moving forward as we close out the school year. Please be on the lookout in your email and text messages as we will continue to share more information and resources with you as they become available.
Please do not hesitate to reach out at any time if you have any questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
Dr. Adierah Berger
CEO and Head of School