Education Community Responds to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita

Dear members and friends:

Our hearts go out to all of the people affected by the recent hurricanes. It is hard to know how to comprehend these devastating acts of nature and their aftermath. Millions of caring persons in the US and around the world are already contributing to relief efforts to help those directly affected.

We know that many teachers and school districts are dealing with thousands of school children arriving in new communities with nothing but the clothes on their backs. This is a situation that will create enormous challenges in classrooms across the nation and will continue to be a challenge for classrooms in the places where the hurricane struck.

Many have asked us in recent days what we can do to help students, teachers and schools affected by Katrina and Rita. Here are a few suggestions, which we will be updating periodically as more information becomes available:

• The US Department of Education, in coordination with the National Response Plan already activated by the Department of Homeland Security, has launched a “Hurricane Help for Schools” website (www.ed.gov/news/hurricane/) to serve as a nationwide clearinghouse to address the needs of affected schools. The website is interactive, allowing affected schools to post their specific needs so that people across the nation can be active participants in meeting those needs.


• VSKOOL.ORG (www.vskool.org) has also been launched to help provide education-related relief to those affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. VSKOOL will serve as a clearinghouse of hurricane related offerings of education technology products and services to affected students, teachers, and families. The particular focus of this effort is on online courses and other technology-related educational services, such as the establishment of community- or school-based computer learning labs to help schools meet the needs of those who were displaced. To make a donation, send an email to: katrina_edrelief@yahoogroups.com OR join the Yahoo! group at groups.yahoo.com/group/katrina_edrelief/. Key partners in this effort include Cable in the Classroom, CoSN, NACOL and SIIA.


• The Public Education Network (PEN) has created a special fund to benefit Gulf region children and schools. The funds collected will be distributed through Gulf region education organizations such as the Greater New Orleans Education Foundation, the Mobile Area Education Foundation, the Academic Distinction Fund (Baton Rouge, LA), the Orchard Foundation (Alexandria, LA), Area Education Foundation (Hattiesburg, MS), and Association for Excellence in Education (Laurel, MS). All contributions are tax deductible. To make a donation, go to https://secure.democracyinaction.org/kids/shop/custom.jsp?donate_page_KEY=901.


• The BellSouth Foundation has announced a commitment to donate $5 million towards enabling students from the Gulf States to continue their education via virtual courses. For more information, see www.bellsouthfoundation.org/release_091305.asp.


• GrantStation has developed a clearinghouse for current grant announcements and other related information that will affect those organizations, educational institutions and government agencies helping the victims of Hurricane Katrina. For a complete listing, see www.grantstation.com/katrina/.

Other useful links:

• FEMA: www.fema.gov
• US Freedom Corps: www.usafreedomcorps.gov
• Education Week’s continuing coverage of the impact of Hurricane Katrina on schools: www.educationweek.org/ew/collections/hurricane-katrina/index.html
• eSchool News’ continuing coverage to the impact of Hurricane Katrina on schools (which includes links to useful Blogs, Wikipedia and other online information for educators): www.eschoolnews.com/eti/2005/09/001171.php
• MDR’s News Alert site: www.schooldata.com/mdr_hurricane.htm

With a heavy heart and a resolve to make a difference,

The Board and staff of CoSN