SHERIDAN — Sheridan School teachers are on the picket line Wednesday, prompting the district to cancel classes for the rest of the week.
Teachers across the district, including at Sheridan High School, are striking to demand a new contract, better pay, and to express concerns over retaliation. They have gone without a contract since the beginning of the school year.
In December, both the district and the Sheridan Education Association claimed the other side would not cooperate with contract negotiations.
Denver7 was there Tuesday when the school day ended and staff walked off the job. Community members gathered with signs and cheers of support outside district headquarters, where Superintendent Gionni Thompson called an impromptu board meeting.
Sheridan Education Association President Kate Biester, a social studies teacher at Sheridan High School, met with Denver7 prior to the strike. She said the "ideal situation" would be a positive resolution before the strike began.
"Nobody wants to strike in the school district," Biester said. "It's not the thing that gives the children the best education they deserve, but it is the long term goal to get a better school district for Sheridan students."
However, Biester followed up Tuesday night over text saying teachers were not allowed inside the board meeting.
"I think [the strike] goes until we are having substantive conversations about the path out of the predicament that we're in, and that could look many different possible ways. This is the first strike I've ever been a part of, so I don't really know how it's going to go, and I hope that it is resolved as quickly as possible to be able to get the kids back to school, get us back to work, and like I said, do the right thing for our community," Biester said.
Thompson denied interview requests.
The district said in a statement they remain committed to working with the Sheridan Education Association to reach an agreement. Last week, the district said their focus is on stability, respect, and the best interest of students.
For families in need of meals for their children, boxed meals are being handed out at the Fort Logan Northgate campus.
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