SUMNER, Wash. — All Sumner-Bonney Lake School District (SBLSD) schools will be closed until further notice after the Sumner Paraeducators Association (SPA) announced it will go on strike beginning Friday.
The Sumner Teachers Association voted not to cross the picket line. School is canceled for nearly 10,000 students at 14 schools.
Paraeducators have been negotiating with the district for a contract after their collective bargaining agreement expired on August 31. SPA voted 99% earlier this month to strike if an agreement was not reached by 3 p.m. Thursday.
“The District deeply values our paraeducators. We’ve been working hard and bargaining in good faith with para association representatives since June, with the desire to reach a fair resolution that’s within our financial means,” the district said on their website.
SPA said other district unions also said they won’t cross picket lines. Picketing began Friday morning at each school.
The district said it's committed to bargaining until an agreement is reached.
The SBLSD said most sports and after-school activities will not be canceled on Friday. However, some events like middle school dances scheduled for Friday will be canceled. The district said parents should check individual school websites for details. District child care and preschool are canceled.
Free breakfast and lunch will be available for students who depend on meals during the school week at the locations below:
- Daffodil Valley Elementary: Breakfast, 8:15-8:45 a.m. Lunch, 11:15 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
- Liberty Ridge Elementary: Breakfast, 8-8:30 a.m. Lunch, 10:40 a.m.-12:10 p.m.