Sheridan teachers strike: Union and district reach a tentative contract agreement

“Sign up for Chalkbeat Colorado’s free daily newsletter to get the latest reporting from us, plus curated news from other Colorado outlets, delivered to your inbox. After more than three weeks on strike , the Sheridan School District teachers union reached a tentative agreement Thursday on a new contract with the tiny district south of Denver. The agreement came after Colorado Gov. Jared Polis stepped in to convene a day of discussions between the district and the union at the state Capitol. Polis had grown increasingly frustrated with the stalemate, warning on Wednesday that the interruption in schooling meant students had “missed weeks of meaningful instruction.” Most of Sheridan’s more than 900 students are Hispanic and come from low-income families. The district canceled classes at all five of its schools for the first three days of the strike. Schools have been open since then, but officials said attendance has been low. The Sheridan Educators Association said its members will return to classrooms after the deal is ratified. The union is expected to vote on ratification on Friday and the Sheridan school board is set to vote Tuesday, according to Polis’ office. Superintendent Gionni Thompson said in a statement that the district shares “the Governor’s urgency in moving forward toward swift ratification to avoid further delays and ensure students return to a stable, consistent learning environment in which each student can thrive.” Union President Kate Biester, a social studies teacher at Sheridan High School, said in a statement that she “cannot wait to get back to my classroom and my students.” “While this entire process has been incredibly difficult, I want to say unequivocally that the challenge has been worth it,” Biester said. “Sheridan will always be a place that gives everyone a chance to succeed. We have shown everyone that big things can happen in a small town.” The union declared victory in a statement Thursday night, saying the tentative agreement “meets our demands to reinstate our contract, a path to recognize classified staff, and an end to the retaliatory and restrictive policies that have caused instability in our schools.” Sheridan teachers had been working without a contract all school year. The strike began April 1. The union had several demands, including that the district reinstate the expired contract and allow non-licensed staff, such as school bus drivers and paraprofessionals, to join the union. Tensions between the union and the district escalated as the strike wore on. A week into it, the union announced an effort to recall the entire Sheridan school board. On Thursday, before the deal was reached, the district said it would no longer cover the full cost of health benefits for the striking employees as it had been for the past several weeks. A spokesperson for the Arapahoe County Clerk and Recorder’s Office said Friday that the Sheridan teachers union had asked questions about how to initiate a school board recall process but hadn’t yet started the proceedings. Melanie Asmar is the bureau chief for Chalkbeat Colorado. Contact Melanie at masmar@chalkbeat.org .

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