UPDATE #2: At 7 p.m. Tuesday, the Greater Albany Education Association announced the strike would continue on Wednesday.
"GAPS understands this is a challenging time for our community and we will continue to work diligently toward a resolution with GAEA to return our students to school as soon as possible," the district said in a message to families on its website. "We will notify families each day by 4:00 pm in order to share the return date for students or if schools will continue to remain closed. As a reminder, even when settled, schools will be closed to students the following day. For this week, if the contract is settled on Wednesday, schools will be closed to students on Thursday, and students will return on Friday."
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UPDATE: Educators in Albany are officially on strike. District and union leaders in Greater Albany Public Schools did not finalize a contract during mediation sessions over the long weekend. Classes are canceled during the strike, but classified staff are still expected to report for work.
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Original story:
Officials with Greater Albany Public Schools have canceled Tuesday classes for the district’s roughly 8,700 students.
Contract negotiations between the district and the 600 licensed educators represented by the Greater Albany Education Association were still underway Monday afternoon, and it was not clear if both sides would reach a deal, or if the educators would strike.
“Friday was teachers’ last working day until the potential strike, so they all turned in their keys and computers. GAEA also encouraged them to take home any personal items from their classrooms,” district communications director Becca Mallery said in an email. “Because of that, the District wants to give teachers a day to get things back in order before they have students again. This means that once the contract is settled, teachers will have one working day before students return back to the classroom.”
The Boys & Girls Club Albany and the Mid-Willamette YMCA will provide activities and meals to qualifying students. Children or their caretakers can also pick up breakfast and lunch from a number of designated sites in Albany on Tuesday. The district emailed details to family members.
District-sponsored sports and performances are expected to continue Tuesday regardless of the outcome of union negotiations.
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