PAT Notice to Strike Nov. 1
Dear families,
Tonight, we received a notice from the Portland Association of Teachers, the union representing our educators, that they intend to strike beginning November 1. We hope they will come back to the bargaining table and work with us to negotiate a resolution, but we have also made contingency plans if they strike.
As we have previously shared, if teachers strike, Portland Public Schools will have to close all schools. That will mean no in-person class or online instruction, although we have provided limited resources to support learning. To support learning from home, we will send all K-2 families a survey to assess your technological needs, and we will ensure any student who needs a device has access to one.
We will also provide grab and go meals for free for all kids, ages 1-18, during the strike. We are still finalizing pick-up locations and times. Detailed information including locations and pick up times will be available on our site when the plans are confirmed.
For students who are currently seeing a school-based mental health provider, services will be offered either in person at the agency clinic or virtually. For more information connect with your student health center or visit the Multnomah County School-Based Mental Health website. Student Health Centers at Benson, Cleveland, Franklin, Jefferson, McDaniel, and Roosevelt will remain operational during the strike.
We’ve also heard concerns from the families of high school seniors, worried about college application timelines. Staff will be available via email, phone, and virtually if your student needs support during the strike.
Finally, many families have asked if a strike will extend our school year. Unfortunately, we are not able to know yet. We will need to consider the length of a strike against state requirements regarding student instruction time, inclement weather days, and other factors. Once negotiations are complete and a date has been selected to reopen schools, we will provide you with additional information.
We invite you to ask any questions, and we will do our best to respond as promptly as possible. Future updates will be sent through email, and we encourage you to check the contingency website for more detailed information.
Best,
Jonathan Garcia
Chief of Staff
