NEW ORLEANS, LA. - RSD Superintendent Paul Vallas will ring in the 2009-2010 school year on Thursday, August 6, 2009, on the steps of Live Oak Elementary School, 3128 Constance Street, in New Orleans. The event, which will take place from 9 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., will begin with a traditional drum blessing and conclude with a brass band to celebrate the start of the new school year. Live Oak, one of 33 RSD direct-run schools welcoming students back on Thursday, this year be home of the Batiste Family International School of Fine and Performing Arts, which will offer an arts program.

Thursday is the first day of school for students in grades 1-12 in the RSD’s direct-run schools. Students in Pre-K and Kindergarten begin on Monday, August 17. Students who took the 8th grade LEAP summer retest are awaiting results and will start on Monday, August 10th.

This year marks the debut of two new RSD high schools: Greater Gentilly High School and the International High School of New Orleans.

Greater Gentilly will begin with grades 9 and 10 at a temporary location at 4950 Dauphine Street. This school, which will have a technology-focused curriculum, will move to its newly constructed building at 6026 Paris Avenue in early 2010.

The International High School (IHSNOLA) will begin with grade 9 at the Arthur Ashe Building, 401 Nashville Ave. IHSNOLA, which will eventually be housed in the Central Business District, will offer a curriculum in International Business to all students and will offer the prestigious International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme to selected 11th and 12th grade students in coming years.

All Recovery School District schools are open access to any student in New Orleans. School bus transportation is provided to all children living more than a mile from their school.

Parents and guardians with questions about bus routes should call 504-373-6200 ext. 20190.

The RSD’s toll free help line is available for parents and guardians who have questions about registration, school hours, dress codes and uniform policies. The help line number is 1-877-343-4773.

Registration for the 2009-2010 school year is continuing at individual school sites. For more information about registration and available schools, call the RSD helpline or visit www.rsdla.net.