With Hurricane Francine now gone from Louisiana, most Baton Rouge-area schools are reopening Friday, but extensive power outages have prompted Ascension, Assumption and St. James parishes, all badly hit, to keep their schools closed.

"Currently, 17 of 32 schools are without power, and this morning 38,000 (79%) of Ascension households did not have power," explained Jackie Tisdell, a spokeswoman for Ascension.

East Baton Rouge Parish schools announced it is reopening Friday.

And Tangipahoa Parish is also reopening Friday, but Hammond Westside Montessori lacked power as of 9 p.m. Thursday, and Kentwood High Magnet was partially without power and will remain closed; one powerless building serves seventh and eighth graders.

East and West Feliciana parishes were the first districts in the Baton Rouge to announce that their public schools will reopen Friday as planned. They were quickly followed by Iberville, Pointe Coupee, St. Helena and West Baton Rouge parishes, as well as Baker, Central and Zachary.

Catholic schools that are part of the Diocese of Baton Rouge follow the closure/reopening plans of the public school districts in the geographic parishes where they are located unless otherwise notified. The diocese is tracking its own school closure list on its website, https://diobr.org/news/francine.

Baton Rouge Community College, LSU, Southern University and Southeastern Louisiana University announced they are returning to normal operations Friday. River Parish Community College in Gonzales, however, is remaining closed Friday.

Prior to Francine's arrival, local schools announced tentative plans to reopen Friday if possible.

The following schools are staying closed or adopting alternative plans due storm impact.

Check school websites for more information.

East Baton Rouge

  • East Baton Rouge Parish public schools are reopening Friday.
  • Prescott Academy charter school is remaining closed Friday.

  • Redemptorist/St. Gerard School is remaining closed Friday.

  • St. Thomas More Catholic School's is uncertain to reopen Friday due to "electrical issues."

Ascension Parish

  • Ascension Parish public schools are remaining closed Friday. Students will return Monday.
  • Ascension Catholic in Donaldsonville is remaining closed Friday.
  • St. John Primary in Gonzales is reopening Friday, but no bus or shuttle service.
  • St. Theresa Middle in Prairieville is reopening Friday, but no bus or shuttle service.

Livingston Parish

  • Livingston Parish Public Schools announced Thursday evening that all schools will reopen Friday.

St. James Parish

  • St. James Parish public schools are remaining closed Friday.
  • St. Peter Chanel Interparochial Catholic School in Paulina is remaining closed Friday.

Tangipahoa Parish

  • Tangipahoa Parish public schools is reopening Friday, but Hammond Westside Montessori lacked power as of 9 p.m. Thursday, and Kentwood High Magnet was partially without power and will remain closed; one powerless building serves seventh and eighth graders.
  • Courtney Christian School is remaining closed Friday.

Colleges & universities

  • River Parish Community College is remaining closed Friday.

School officials can email newstips@theadvocate.com if you have a closure to announce.

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