District 1 schools closed Monday
Somerton, Gadsden schools also closing due to teacher walkout; Crane district will remain open
Yuma District One, Somerton and Gadsden school districts will be closed Monday due to the uncertainty surrounding a statewide walkout concerning education funding in Arizona.
The districts made the announcements Friday afternoon as Gov. Doug Ducey’s office said it had a deal on a 20 percent pay raise for Arizona teachers.
In a note to parents, District One said it would not have sufficient staff to “safely and fully resume school operations.” District One did say all of its cafeterias would remain open for breakfast and lunch.
Yuma Union High School District administrators were still in meetings late Friday, but a spokesman for the district said information about potential closings would be released as soon as a decision is made.
In the Crane School District, all schools will continue Monday, said district spokeswoman Trina Siegfried, including Ronald Reagan Elementary School, which was closed Thursday and Friday.
Attendance for Friday at
Crane Schools was slightly lower than Thursday’s, which was up about 20 percent. Friday the number of students absent districtwide was up 24 percent, she said.
Outlying school districts will also remain open, including Hyder, Wellton and Mohawk Valley schools, according to posts on their social media pages.
Somerton and Gadsden schools will continue to offer meals to students, who may depend upon them as their only source of food.
The second day of #RedforEd in Yuma started before school, as educators and their supporters cheered teachers in the Crane School District who chose to support their students by heading in to work. Supporters cheered working teachers who “walked-in” in the district. All Crane’s schools will be open Monday.
Supporters then breakfasted at local cafes and coffeehouses and reconvened in downtown Yuma at 10 a.m. in front of the fountain on 3rd Street. Education supporters then walked to City Hall where they rallied along Giss Parkway for about an hour and a half.
They then walked to Gateway Park where they heard from local legislators. From there, supporters were encouraged to “lunch out” at a local business that has been supporting the movement.
One organizer, Ben Franz, said that the Arizona Educators United and Arizona Educators Association were encouraging its members to stay out of their classrooms on Monday as well.