St. Joseph’s, Catholic High to give day off for BCS Championship

St. Joseph’s Academy and Catholic High School have notified parents that the schools will be closed on Monday, Jan. 9, on account of the BCS National Championship football game between No. 1 LSU and No. 2 Alabama. Furthermore, the schools will start late the following morning, at 8:45 a.m. The notice from St. Joseph’s states Catholic High School will also follow the same schedule. “We firmly believe that the number of absences due to the game will seriously interfere with the integrity of instruction on January 9th. Therefore, in order to reduce absenteeism and work with parents, students and faculty, we believe that not having school is our best option,” Catholic High Principal Lisa Harvey says in a letter. Representatives for St. Joseph’s did not return a call for further comment. No other local schools or school systems reached today by Daily Report expect to follow suit. Chris Trahan, communication director for the East Baton Rouge Parish School System, says he expects school to take place as scheduled on Jan. 9. “There has been no discussion at this point, and I don’t see it happening,” he says. John Watson, assistant superintendent for Livingston Parish Public Schools, says the championship game will not change the system’s schedule. Jan. 9, he notes, “is our first day back from Christmas break. … We’ll be in school.” Johnny Balfantz, public information officer for Ascension Public Schools, says, “We haven’t even talked about it,” though in all likelihood, he adds, Ascension is “going to have school like normal.” Hosanna Christian Academy has also confirmed no change in its schedule. Representatives of Episcopal High School, the Diocese of Baton Rouge and Christian Life Academy could not provide any schedule information as of press time. —Ian McGibboney