By Jessica Williams, The Lens staff writer

Albeit temporary, the students at Priestley Charter School will have a home before the new Louisiana State University Hospital claims their current address for its own in January.

The Orleans Parish School Board told Priestley school officials earlier this week that the school will move into a group of modular buildings at 4300 Almonaster Ave. over the Christmas holidays. Though the time limit may be extended, Priestley may use these modulars for up to three years, Priestley board President Dennis McSeveney said.

This will be the charter school’s third move in the past four years, due to financial woes that prevented the charter’s board from renovating a building for its students to permanently settle in. Their current building, located at 2009 Palmyra St., is in the footprint of the new LSU hospital. The hospital gave them until January to vacate it.

“My hope is that we can stay in this facility for at least three years while we continue our quest for a permanent site, preferably in a more historic, architecturally significant area of the city that can serve as a ‘laboratory’ for our students,” McSeveney said.

Jessica Williams

Jessica Williams stays on top of the city's loosely organized collection of public schools, with a special emphasis on charter schools. In 2011 she was recognized by the Press Club of New Orleans for her...