Nine days and counting.
There will be no school Wednesday, Sept. 7 in the Kent School District due to the teachers’ strike over the lack of a new contract agreement. It will be the ninth day of the strike and no school.
“Kent School District and the Kent Education Association (teachers’ union) continued to bargain on Tuesday, Sept. 6,” according to a district statement released Tuesday evening. “We thank our community partners for supporting students and families during this difficult time.”
The KEA said bargaining teams met in person on Monday and Tuesday. Teachers were back on the picket line Tuesday morning.
“Our unity now more than ever is important,” according to an union statement.
School has been out since Aug. 25 at the 42 schools and academies in the district that has nearly 24,000 students and 2,000 teachers.
The union’s primary goals are better pay, more mental health services for students and smaller class sizes and caseloads.
After a tentative agreement is reached, it will take at least one day for schools to be ready to open, according to the district statement.
“We thank you for your patience as we work to get students back in school and begin the school year,” according to the district statement.
Free meals
In partnership with the state Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI), the school district is able to receive a waiver to feed children ages 0-18. This meal service is intended to provide healthy meals for KSD students until the start of the 2022-2023 school year.
The free meals will begin Wednesday, Sept. 7 for children ages 0 to 18:
• Meals are grab and go
• Children do not have to be present for families to pick up meals
• Sites cannot accommodate large pick-up service
Sample Meals:
• Breakfast: Cereal/breakfast bar, juice, milk, fresh fruit
• Lunch: Yogurt boats, WOWBUTTER sandwiches, cheese sandwich pocket (with heating instructions), fresh fruit, fresh vegetable, milk
Breakfast and lunch can be picked up weekdays at the times and locations listed below until school begins:
Schools
Covington Elementary | 10:00 a.m-12:00 p.m. | 25811 156th Ave SE, Covington
Daniel Elementary | 10:00 a.m-12:00 p.m. | 11310 SE 248th St, Kent
Kent Elementary | 10:00 a.m-12:00 p.m. | 24700 64th Ave., Kent
Kentridge High School |10:00 a.m-12:00 p.m. | 12430 SE 208th St, Kent
Kent-Meridian High School | 10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. | 10020 SE 256th St, Kent
Neely-O’Brien Elementary | 10:00 a.m-12:00 p.m. | 6300 S 236th St, Kent
Pine Tree Elementary | 10:00 a.m-12:00 p.m. | 27825 118th Ave SE, Kent
Apartments – Look for a KSD school bus
Benson Village Apartments | 11:30-11:50 a.m. | 10820 SE 211th Pl, Kent
Brookside Apartments | 10:30-10:50 a.m. | 10841 SE Kent-Kangley Rd, Kent
Kentbrook Apartments | 10:00-10:20 a.m. | 9803 S 248th St, Kent
Knol Apartments (formerly LaMirage) | 11:00-11:20 a.m. | 11239 SE 260th St, Kent
Parkwood Apartments | 11:00-11:20 a.m. | 26435 104th Ave SE, Kent
Phoenix Court Apartments | 10:30 -10:50 a.m. | 23913 111th Pl SE, Kent
Polaris Apartments | 11:30-11:50 a.m. | 17110 SE 276th St, Covington, WA 98042
Village Green Apartments | 10:00-10:20 a.m. | 10433 SE Kent-Kangley Rd, Kent
Parks
Soos Creek Mobile Estates Playground | 12:00-12:20 p.m. | 15410 SE 272nd St, Kent
Youth Centers
Birch Creek Youth Center | 12:00-1:00 p.m. | 12910 SE 273rd St, Kent
Cascade Youth Center | 12:00-1:00 p.m. | 20524 106th Ave SE, Kent
Valli Kee Youth Center | 12:00-1:00 p.m. | 23401 104th Ave SE, Kent
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