ENGLEWOOD, Colo. - The educator strike at Sheridan Schools entered its fourth day Saturday after a planned meeting between the Sheridan Educators Association and the Sheridan Board of Education ended without an agreement, as the board was absent from the meeting.
Educators association representatives told Denver7's Tyler Melito that only Superintendent Dr. Gianni Thompson and his lawyer attended the meeting.
They said the Board of Education needs to be present to approve a deal to end the strike.
"It was our understanding that we were coming today to come to an agreement to get back into the classrooms on Monday, when we walked in, and only the superintendent and his lawyer were here. They came back with no movement," Lori Ann Chacon, who has taught math at Sheridan schools for 12 years, said. "We decided that they weren't ready to move, and we aren't either."
The educators association is holding strong on its demands to reinstate contracts, recognize all workers, and rescind what they call retaliatory practices encompassed in a policy known as policy H.
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"We want to retract all retaliatory measures that have been taken. We have lost, at the high school level, our dean of students. We have lost our athletic director. These are highly qualified, seasoned educators that were pushed out or simply fired," Toby Nitschke, a Sheridan High English Language Development teacher of four years and Sheridan Educators Association representative, said.
Chacon and Nitschke said they think it's unfortunate that students and parents are getting caught in the middle of the strike. So far, three days of school have been called off as a result of the strike.
"We want students who want to be here at school. We want teachers who want to teach here, so that we have a community of happy teachers, happy students, happy parents," Chacon said.
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After the meeting with the educators association, when Denver7's Melito was able to meet with Superintendant Thompson, he shared only a prepared statement and would not answer further questions.
"The Sheridan School District Number Two leadership appreciates the opportunity to collaborate this morning and open to productive dialog. The School Sistrict Number Two Board of Education is willing to recognize one or more bargaining units through the recognition process that has been established by the board," Thompson said.
Denver7 also reached out to board secretary Juanita Camacho, who is the office manager for the building where the meeting took place, but she did not return a call or text message before Denver7's deadline.
In a post on the district’s website, Thompson said school will be in session on Monday, April 6 at the Early Childhood Center, Alice Terry Elementary, SOAR Academy and Fort Logan Northgate.
Thompson said they are working to secure temporary staff to ensure the rest of the schools will be able to open soon.
"We understand that the Sheridan Education Association (SEA) strike has disrupted daily routines, created challenges with childcare and work schedules, and caused uncertainty for both students and families," Thompson said.
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