Educators across the peninsula are gearing up to strike Tuesday morning, and unless an agreement can be made Monday night, teachers, parents and students should plan for schools to be closed beginning tomorrow.
Monday evening, the Board of Education will meet in executive session to discuss employee contract negotiations.
A Sunday night letter from the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District asks parents and guardians to prepare for a work stoppage starting Tuesday morning.
If the strike occurs Tuesday morning, it will continue until a tentative agreement is reached between the district and two employee associations, Kenai Peninsula Education Association and the Kenai Peninsula Education Support Association. The district will alert parents and the public when an agreement is reached, and schools are reopened, Sunday’s letter said.
Before schools close Monday, make sure students take home any personal belongings they may want, including any medications from the school nurse.
Teachers should make arrangements for any classroom pets or plants.
During a strike, every school in the district will close, including Connections Homeschool, charter and alternative schools, and distance delivery programs. School closures include all before and after-school activities, sports, community school activities, pools, and any rentals or usage of school facilities, including Boys and Girls Clubs activities in every district school or facility. Only individuals approved by the superintendent will have access schools and facilities.
Make up of any canceled high school sports and extracurricular activities are subject to the rules of KPSAA, affiliate region boards, and ASAA. Some may or may not be able to be made up.
Days and staff work days that are missed due to a strike must be made up, and will be added to the end of the 2019-2020 school year calendar in May.
The annual Caring for the Kenai Teacher In-Service day, scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 16, has already been cancelled in light of the looming strike, a Monday press release from Caring for the Kenai said.
Daily updates will be issued about by the district in the event of a strike.
