MOSES LAKE — Moses Lake schools are closed again Tuesday as the Moses Lake Education Association strike continues. The district released a statement this afternoon saying it gave the MLEA a proposal Sunday evening and did not receive a response today. Both parties agreed to work through a third-party mediator. The district said officials plan to remain available this evening to receive and review any counterproposals.
MLEA President Heather Whittall said their bargaining team “delivered our counter proposal right about 3:45-ish.” She added, “We are still here working.”
Mitigating Student Impact
The ongoing strike is affecting families, but in an interview Monday afternoon, MLSD Superintendent Carol Lewis said the district is taking steps to make the closures less disruptive if possible. The district is providing free lunches at each elementary school from 11 a.m. to noon on weekdays during the strike. Middle and high school students should go to their neighborhood elementary school for meals. The lunch bags also contain breakfast items for the next morning.
Athletic activities may continue depending on coach participation. “Athletics are on a completely different trajectory than school,” Lewis said. While the district can add days to the school calendar to make up for disrupted instructional time, it cannot add days to a sports season. “We are offering our coaches the opportunity to continue to coach their teams, and we’re offering the opportunity to participate in events both in and outside the district,” she said.
The Boys and Girls Club is also impacted. The only location open during the shutdown is the McGraw Clubhouse. Teens are welcome and drop off starts at 3 p.m. The district is working on providing a transportation plan. The monthly fee is $15 per month or $25 per family per month.
Whittall said negotiators have reached tentative agreements on many sticking points since talks began in June. Several important issues, including professional development compensation, remain unresolved. “We aren’t asking for anything more than the current contract language,” she said.
Lewis said she could not comment on ongoing sticking points but expressed hope the parties will reach an agreement soon so schools can reopen.
The district has created an information page for interested parties to see what has been proposed, with cost analyses.
