From the U.S. Team: Treasurer Search  Branch Schools is still seeking someone to serve as our Treasurer. This important volunteer role helps ensure the financial health and accountability of our organization as we continue to grow and serve children and families in Haiti. If you are interested in learning more, or know someone who may be a good fit and has experience with finances, accounting, or nonprofit treasurer responsibilities, we would love to hear from you! Please contact our Board Chair, Kathleen Menke, at [email protected]. A New School Year Begins in Haiti A new school year is beginning at Branch Lutheran Schools of Haiti! After weeks of preparation, repairs, and construction, students and teachers are preparing to return to classrooms at our six Branch Schools. The official reopening of schools in Haiti was scheduled for September 7. Branch Schools’ school year was set to begin on Monday, September 14, although the exact start date varies by school as final preparations are completed. The schools in Gressier and Léogâne (Port-au-Prince) opened their doors to students last week, while additional work was still being completed at the school in Carrefour (Port-au-Prince). Construction and septic improvements at Carrefour was finished Friday, with regular classes anticipated to begin this week (Sept. 21) or next week. These final preparations are part of a larger effort to make the schools safer, more functional, and ready to serve the growing number of students entrusted to our care. Thanks to the generosity of Branch Schools supporters, work has been underway at schools throughout Haiti to address important needs before the new school year. One of our school directors shared this message with us: “Thank you sisters and brothers for the huge support. You are amazing and great for Haitian people."  We are grateful for the opportunity to partner with our Haitian teachers, school directors, and supporters to provide children with an education rooted in Christ. We look forward to sharing photos and updates from the first week of school as they become available. We want to, again, give a special thanks to WELS Christian Aid & Relief for their continuous support during times of uncertainty and unexpected challenges. Please keep our students, teachers, directors, and families in your prayers as a new school year begins! Branch Schools is Now on Instagram!  We’re excited to announce that Branch Lutheran Schools of Haiti is now on Instagram! We’re adding Instagram as another way to share the stories of our schools, students, staff, and the work being done in Haiti. Instagram gives us new opportunities to share photos, videos, behind-the-scenes updates, and stories from our schools while connecting with both new and longtime supporters. We’d love for you to follow along! Find us on Instagram at @BranchSchoolsHaiti and help us spread the word about the work God is making possible through Branch Schools. https://www.instagram.com/branchschoolshaiti/ Getting to School In Haiti It’s time to get back to school! But how are you going to actually get there? In the United States, families have many options. Buses are available in a large percentage of school districts across the country. Parents often choose to drive their children to and from school, braving the pick-up line each day. And in some places where students live nearby and the weather and sidewalks allow, children still walk or bike to school. In Haiti, these options are not so plentiful or comfortable. School buses in Haiti exist, but are very uncommon. Most children walk to school, especially in rural areas and for very long distances, with some children walking an hour or more to get to school. In urban areas, some children are transported to school by motorcycle, as motorcycles are a more common form of transportation in Haiti due to the cost, size, and versatility. Still other children get to school on a tap-tap.  Tap-taps are privately owned vehicles, often trucks or small vans, that are modified with benches to accommodate as many people as possible. Drivers often wait for their vehicles to fill with passengers before proceeding on a set route, and those passengers can ask to get off anywhere along that route, paying a small set fare for the trip. Tap-tap drivers usually decorate their vehicles with bright colors and ornate designs and sometimes even play lively music to entice riders. Rides are sometimes cramped and hot, and roads can be treacherous, but for many in Haiti, the tap-tap is an important form of transportation. And for children throughout the country, they are one of the ways they can get back to school. Upcoming Presentations and EventsThe following is a list of presentations, fundraisers, and tabling events that are coming up for and with Branch Lutheran Schools of Haiti:
2026
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AuthorBranch Lutheran Schools of Haiti, Inc. Archives
September 2026
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