educators are expected to return to the classroom next week after union members voted unanimously Friday to ratify a deal to end the longest teachers strike in recent Colorado history.
It’s not immediately clear when staff will return to work; the said union members are waiting for the district’s Board of Education to approve the deal before doing so.
The school board is scheduled to vote on the agreement during its meeting on Tuesday, but the union urged an earlier vote, saying teachers could return Monday if the board ratifies the deal by then.
“Our highest priority now is clear: ensuring that students and teachers return to the classroom as quickly as possible,” the district said in a statement. “Our students thrive in structured, supportive learning environments, and it is essential that we restore consistency and stability across our schools without delay.”
Superintendent Gionni Thompson did not respond to interview requests.
The district and union reached a tentative deal Thursday night following hours of negotiations at the state Capitol, after both parties had been summoned by Gov. Jared Polis.
State Sen. Jeff Bridges, a Greenwood Village Democrat, praised the deal, suggesting it had eased the need for immediate action on the districtap future. He previously had said he was working on legislation to consolidate the Sheridan School District into Denver Public Schools.
“The most important thing is that kids have their teachers back. That gives everyone the breathing room to make sure Sheridan students get the resources they need and any agreement with another district keeps the community whole,” he said.
Under the agreement, the Sheridan School District will re-recognize the union and add classified staff — such as custodians and paraprofessionals — to the bargaining unit.
Sheridan Educators Association President Kate Biester didn’t provide many details about the agreement during a news conference Friday morning, but said the deal “meets a vast majority” of the association’s demands.
“This has been an incredibly long, serious fight,” she said. “…We are so excited to return back to the classroom.”
The agreement does not include raises for educators, Biester said.
“Money was never an issue here,” she said. “It was about workers’ rights.”
Cydney Goodrum, a preschool teaching assistant, is one of the classified educators who will now be represented by the union — a change she said will enable her to have a voice on issues such as healthcare, salaries and curriculum.
“It means I feel safe and protected in my workers’ rights,” Goodrum, 31, said.
The Sheridan Educators Association went on strike on April 1, closing schools during the first few days. The district’s five campuses reopened during the second week of the strike, but union representatives have said few students returned to school.
The Sheridan strike was the state’s longest teachers strike in at least 45 years.
Denver Post staff writer Seth Klamann contributed to this report.
