(SCROLL DOWN for newest updates, including 3:30 pm district briefing, with declaration NO SCHOOL FRIDAY, and our conversation with SEA rep afterward; also, post-5 pm, more photos added from today’s picketing)

FIRST UPDATE, 11:56 AM – Day 2 of the Seattle Education Association strike against Seattle Public Schools. We’ll be updating this story throughout the day, until or unless there’s a breakthrough, in which case we’ll start a new one. We start with scenes from a picket line:

WEST SEATTLE HIGH SCHOOL PICKETERS SERENADED: Perhaps the most visible picket line in West Seattle, along California Avenue SW outside WS High School, had musical support this morning. WSHS teacher Jennifer Hall had sent word last night that folk singer Jim Page would be playing for the picketers starting around 10 am. Turned out he wasn’t alone – Charmaine and Charlie from Squirrel Butter had shown up too, and were playing with their friend Duane when we recorded the quick Instagram clip above. They and Hall subsequently joined Page in a reworked version of “This Land is Your Land,” both his lyrics and “These Schools Are Your Schools,” on a song sheet from the teachers’ May 19th one-day strike courtesy of the Washington Badass Teachers Chorus, of which Hall is a member:

Page explained, “I learned a long time ago what songs can do if you let them out of their box.” Meantime, as you can see and hear in the clip, passing drivers were honking and waving at the picketers. Hall said they’d been getting a steady stream of visitors, too, including, while we were there, a longtime substitute teacher. Meantime, we’re still checking on the status of this morning’s talks – as reported here last night, the district believed they would resume, while all a union rep had confirmed was a meeting with mediators. Updates as we get them. We’ll also be publishing a separate story with the list of service projects the educators are planning to participate in tomorrow if the strike isn’t resolved by then – students and families are welcome at most of the ones we’ve heard about so far. Updates to come.

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12:24 PM UPDATE – DISTRICT SAYS BARGAINERS ‘WAITING’: Neither side has sent or published an official update on whether or not talks have resumed today, so far as we have seen. We pinged SPS spokesperson Stacy Howard, who replied, “Still waiting…our team has been in there since early this morning. We should know soon if the union has officially refused and not shown up.” As reported here last night, the union’s lead bargainer had said part of their team was scheduled to meet with mediators this morning, but hadn’t officially “heard from” the district.

1:56 PM UPDATE – UNION SAYS ‘TEAM READY AND WILLING TO MEET’: After the response from the district as quoted above, we pinged union spokesperson Rich Wood. His reply: “No negotiations are scheduled. Phyllis and our bargaining team leaders met with the state mediators this morning. Our team is ready and willing to meet anytime, but it¹s time for the Seattle School Board to step up and make a contract proposal that addresses the needs of Seattle students. Our bargainers have sacrificed months to try to negotiate a good settlement that focuses on kids.” So our followup question now is – if both sides claim to be willing, what will it take to set up a meeting? Stand by.

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2:07 PM UPDATE – ON THE LINE AT CONCORD: The district’s southwest region includes not only 16 public schools in West Seattle, but also Concord International (Elementary) in South Park. We went over a little while ago to see what’s happening:

Along with picketers, we found Full Tilt Ice Cream, which is continuing to make the rounds.

Co-proprietor Justin Cline (above left) was in the truck at Concord, while co-proprietor Ann Magyar (a former longtime teacher) is in a separate truck that has visited more West Seattle schools today. Other local businesses are donating sustenance to the teachers – the Sealth/Denny strikers sent a photo of Ripple Café (35th/Henderson) donating sandwiches today.

Thanks for the photos we’ve received from other sites – we’ll be adding more shortly.

2:51 PM: Just confirmed the district will brief media at 3:30 pm, so we’re heading downtown. Watch here as well as our Twitter account.

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3:27 PM: As district reps – spokesperson Stacy Howard and bargaining-team member Jon Halfaker (northwest region executive director of schools) – are about to brief media at district HQ, they’ve handed out this one-sheet with info from the Tuesday 5 pm counter-offer:

Howard says a few things have changed since then, and we will write toplines here as we hear them. We’re also recording video again today, to publish in an evening update later.

3:31 PM: The briefing has begun. Howard says, “Seattle Public Schools and Seattle EA are continuing to meet with the mediators … there will not be school tomorrow.” So what’s the actual status of talks? Howard says both sides are talking with mediators but not with each other, at this point. SEA has not responded to the district counteroffer made at the end of day Tuesday, Halfaker and Howard say. Also: In response to a question, Howard says, no further discussion of going to court. This briefing lasted only about five minutes. Again, bottom line, official negotiations have NOT resumed yet; there will NOT be school Friday. The district says its bargainers will be back at HQ tomorrow ready and waiting.

3:51 PM: Post-briefing, we found SEA reps in the room – the same big meeting room where the school board usually meets at district HQ. We talked briefly with Rich Wood of the SEA. He says what the district said about the status of talks is accurate – each side talked with mediators today. What exactly will it take to get them actually negotiating again? we asked him. From SEA’s perspective, they are looking for some hint that the district is willing to yield. He said if there’s no indication of that, then, in SEA’s view, they *did* respond to the Tuesday offer – by leaving the talks and announcing the strike.

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4:50 PM: We are working on a separate report with video from the district briefing plus a list of service projects announced for tomorrow plus a reminder of the “read-in” to which all local families are invited on Alki tomorrow afternoon (any info about tomorrow, please e-mail us – editor@westseattleblog.com). Meantime, for the record, adding more picket-line photos sent to us from local schools today … – first, via Twitter:

5:31 PM: And these are photos we’ve received via e-mail – thanks! First, from Lafayette Elementary in The Admiral District, photo by Elia Hilgenberg:

And this view’s from Carrie Ann LeBlanc:who

At West Seattle Elementary in High Point, photo courtesy Colleen Farrell:

From Darren Radu at Gatewood Elementary:

Our entire faculty is out in force again today. We’ve been overwhelmed with support from both Gatewood families and the greater West Seattle community, from honking and waving to snacks and water. We’re so grateful for the empathy and understanding! We’re unified in hopes of reaching a fair settlement and appreciate that this is a burden for many families. We want the community to know that there is not a person among us who wouldn’t rather be in the classroom teaching kids, and we’re hoping to be there soon!

At Highland Park Elementary, a contingent from Ages in Stages Child Care showed up to support striking teachers, says Alicia Shenefelt:

At Fairmount Park Elementary School, strikers not only had a visit from Full Tilt Ice Cream (as did other schools including Concord International in South Park, as mentioned above), Althea Chow says firefighters visited too:

We were delighted to receive a surprise special delivery from Ladder 11 from Station 32….they brought water and frozen treats to support Fairmount Park teachers, instructional assistants, our counselor, and other staff on the picket line today! Thank you, fire fighters!

(added) From Mel, Chief Sealth International High School cheerleaders who “contributed and had trail mix made for the teachers. They also picketed in front of the school with the teachers.”

Again, no picketing tomorrow – strikers will be at service-project sites, mostly in the morning, with at least one major regional activity – the Alki Read-In – in the afternoon. Separate story to come.

While talking with striking Seattle Education Association members today, we learned that the general plan for Friday, if it’s not resolved, was to be part of the National Day of Service rather than picketing. Late tonight, we’ve received word that in West Seattle, the plan has evolved to add a gathering including families. Shared with us by Schmitz Park Educators, on behalf of their colleagues from around the peninsula:

If the Seattle Public Schools teacher strike continues through the end of the week, please join West Seattle educators and families on Friday afternoon from 12:30-3:00 for an Alki Beach Read-In after a morning of community service in honor of September 11th (check with educators from individual schools for project specifics). ALL families are welcome! We are coordinating with multiple schools for this event and hope to have a great turnout.

Please bring your books, blankets, and back-to-school momentum! Meet near the Statue of Liberty on Alki Beach. Let’s spend the afternoon reading together as we show that we ALL want to be back in school.

Wear red – see you there!

You’re encouraged to RSVP so organizers have an idea of how many people to expect – you can do that here.

P.S. We’re also interested in all the local service projects tentatively planned on Friday (both educators and non-educators, for that matter) – editor@westseattleblog.com – thanks!

(TOPLINES: Strike’s first day is on with picketing at all SPS schools; district says NO SCHOOL THURSDAY but talks are expected to resume in the morning; scroll down for newest updates and photos from all 16 public schools in WS)

(At Roxhill Elementary: WSB photo)

FIRST REPORT, 9:40 AM: Picketing has begun at Seattle Public Schools campuses around the city, as the Seattle Education Association‘s strike – announced at district HQ last night – begins. Above, picketers at the first school where we stopped to photograph picketers, Roxhill Elementary, the southernmost campus in WS for now (until Arbor Heights Elementary’s construction is done). Roxhill student Rose is on the line:

Community members there to support strikers include Steve, who says he walks by the school every day, so today, he picked up a sign:

SEA says picketing will continue today until 3 pm. Via text (206-293-6302), we just received a photo from (corrected) Pathfinder K-8 “families and friends” outside district HQ:

(Pathfinder K-8 “families and friends” outside John Stanford Center: Reader-texted photo)
ADDED 10:03 AM: Just back from Gatewood Elementary, where our Instagram video clip (mouse over the image to bring up the “play” button) includes a chant:

(At Gatewood Elementary: WSB video, above, and photo, below)
Gatewood parent Jena told us that a striker-support fund is in progress at Caffé Ladro around the corner. We also spotted this sign:

Just in from strikers at Schmitz Park Elementary:

(At Schmitz Park Elementary: Reader photos above, via text)

10:53 AM: Thanks for sending photos from more of the picket lines around West Seattle:

That’s from Fairmount Park Elementary teacher and parent Althea Chow, who says, “Fairmount Park Elementary staff and families are loving the honks of support from drivers on Fauntleroy Way! Thank you, West Seattle!” (In addition to the group above in front of the school on Findlay, they also have picketers along Fauntleroy to the west.) Whenever school starts, this will be the second year for the renovated and expanded FPES, which reopened last year, seven years after it was part of a wave of SPS closures.

At the forested campus of Sanislo Elementary:

Thanks to Megan Simmons for that photo.

Next, from Jennifer Hall, who says her photo is from “West Seattle High School! This strike is FOR our students!!”:

Earlier, we included a photo of Pathfinder K-8 families at district HQ downtown. Holli Margell tweets this from the Pathfinder campus, on Pigeon Point:

ADDED 11:29 AM: Just stopped at Highland Park Elementary, where picketers are marching along Trenton, with chants and with music from a loudspeaker:

Some students showed up this morning unaware of the strike, they tell us. They also are handing out a letter, reading, in part, “We are on strike to redefine public education in Seattle. We want the best schools in the nation, with world languages, music, the arts, sciences, humanities, mathematics, the language arts, physical education, and more. We want the money spent on kids and classrooms, not on bureaucrats at the Stanford Center. We want our kids to be fully ready for the 21st-century world, not just to be test-taking robots.” They reaffirm the plan announced pre-strike, for picketing today and tomorrow (if the strike is still on), then projects for the National Day of Service on Friday – these strikers say they’ll be at the nearby White Center Salvation Army that day.

On to 5950 Delridge – where this will be the second and final year of Arbor Heights Elementary‘s temporary home. This photo’s from Krista McInerney:

11:52 AM: We’re now at Denny Middle School and Chief Sealth International High School, which share a site in the 2600 block between SW Kenyon and SW Thistle. Denny picketers are along Kenyon (including the traffic circle):

Sealth photo to come:

They were marching along Thistle, all the way down to the Longfellow Creek P-Patch east of the school.

Back at Highland Park, PE teacher Chellie LaFayette tweeted that they had a surprise arrival just after we were there:

(Datapoint, Full Tilt co-founder Ann Magyar is a longtime teacher.)

12:15 PM: Just stopped at West Seattle Elementary in High Point:

Picketers are in front of the school on 34th SW and there’s also a small group at 35th and Morgan a few blocks away.

12:27 PM: On to the north end:

Thanks again to everyone who’s texted/e-mailed (editor@westseattleblog.com) photos; we will continue to update the story with any new information on what’s next in the strike (see below).

1:53 PM: Thanks to Heidi Alessi for the picket-line photo from the newly renamed Louisa Boren STEM K-8:

Meantime, more of the stops we made before a quick lunch break. In the Admiral District, Lafayette Elementary:

Down the hill from there, Alki Elementary:

2:10 PM: Just got word that some of the north WS strikers will be gathering in The Admiral District at/near Lafayette, so if you see a particularly sizable group there, it’s representing more than one school.

HOW LONG WILL THE STRIKE LAST? NEWEST INFORMATION, UPDATED 12:58 PM: No word of new talks, so far; negotiations started in May and were ongoing until just before the strike announcement last night. Both sides are updating their websites – the union here (you can find PDFs of its e-mailed updates here), the district here. … We added district spokesperson Stacy Howard about the plan for announcements on schools’ status, etc. Her reply: “Hopefully at least one update per day will go to families. But this is so complicated and we want to make sure we are accurate before just putting info out there. Also, as of right now there is not a plan for legal action. We hope to resolve this before that happens.” (Added) We noticed the message on the SPS home page has been updated:

12:58 PM UPDATE: SPS is having a media briefing in two hours. No new talks or breakthrough; members of the district bargaining team are expected to speak.

2:59 PM UPDATE: We’re live at district HQ to report toplines of the briefing. SPS spokesperson Stacy Howard is leading it off. “We appreciate our teachers and educators and believe we have made a strong offer … It’s also important to note we must protect our fiscal health … (the offer) is fiscally sound. A contract that is not fiscally sound ultimately will help our students. We are offering a substantial pay raise … Our most recent offer provides a 14 percent pay raise over three years including the state COLA …” She says the union’s proposal would cost three times as much as the district’s offer. She denies that they are “extending the teacher’s workday,” currently 6 hours and 10 minutes, proposed to go to 6 hours and 30 minutes. “By adding instructional minutes to our students’ day … we can meet their .. needs.” She says they believe negotiations will resume tomorrow.

In questioning, the bargaining team reps who have joined Howard say it’s “complicated” to explain why the extra instructional time won’t extend the teachers’ work day. Regarding the length of the contract, the district reps say that both sides have proposed two- and three-year contracts at different points; right now, the district’s most recent offer is 3 years, the union’s most recent offer is 2 years. “The negotiation process is fluid,” Howard interjects at one point. “We are hoping for a quick resolution.” Says bargaining team member Jon Halfaker, “We believe we have made strong gains.”

“Does the district’s offer pay teachers what they’re worth?” they are asked. Howard doesn’t answer directly but says, “We want to honor our teachers. … Our goal here is to make them feel like they are getting what they deserve and that the students are getting the education they deserve.” Adds the other bargainer, “The district’s offer IS competitive. … We know it’s best for our kids to have strong teachers.” Halfaker says they feel they’ve been “as transparent as (we) can be.”

Asked one last question, why negotiations ended last night with a strike announcement: Halfaker said they had all worked a very long weekend, but they were “quite surprised” by the union breaking away after getting a counterproposal around 5 pm and instead coming into the chambers last night to declare they were on strike.

Final word from spokesperson Howard: Yes, this means NO SCHOOL THURSDAY – please get the word out to everyone you know.

The chief bargainer for the union is expected to speak to the 34th District Democrats toward the start of their meeting in West Seattle tonight (7 pm, The Hall at Fauntleroy).

ADDED 4:17 PM: SEA says picketing at schools will resume at 8:30 am tomorrow, except for an early start, 4:45 am-6:15 am, at Louisa Boren K-8 STEM in West Seattle. (Not mentioned in the update, but we would guess that’s for benefit of early-morning TV reporters, so you might see TV trucks there in the very early hours.)

(TOPLINES: At 6:19 pm, we reported the union says it’s striking tomorrow; scroll down for that and later updates)

5:25 PM: We’re at Seattle Public Schools HQ downtown, the center of activity on this evening before either a Seattle Education Association strike or the start of SPS classes. First – the union says staffers at some schools walked out this afternoon “in solidarity” – we received this photo from Gatewood Elementary:

At HQ, we’ve received the text of the resolution the School Board is to consider, after a closed session shortly after the scheduled 5:30 pm start of a special meeting. We’ll link it here as soon as we find it online.

5:37 PM: The board has convened, taken roll, said the Pledge of Allegiance, then immediately left its chambers to go into closed-door session, expecting to be back at 6:25 pm. Superintendent Dr. Larry Nyland wasn’t here yet – said to be stuck in traffic. Here meantime is the aforementioned document, with the resolution attached; we’ll embed it here shortly.

6:06 PM: Here’s the resolution, at the end of this document:

6:19 PM: Seattle Education Association bargainers have just walked into the board chambers and announced THE STRIKE IS ON – no deal, and talks have ended for the night. A large group has announced that the district made its most-recent offer 20 minutes ago. (Added: Our phone video with about a minute from the announcement:)

Union leaders are telling parents, call the district and tell it to “get serious.” This is all happening while the board continues its closed-door meeting steps away, expected to emerge and decide whether to authorize district leadership to pursue legal action in case of a strike, which we now know will happen. Picketing, the union says, will start (updated) at 8:30 am. If the district goes to court, the union says, it’ll ask members what they want to do – and they expect members would vote to defy the order, as Pasco teachers did. “We want competitive pay,” the union bargainers are saying. “Equity issues, reasonable testing issues, fair evaluations” are other issues that remain outstanding, they’re telling reporters. SEA’s bargaining chair and vice president Phyllis Campano is who’s been speaking.

6:29 PM: The board is now back in session and voting on the resolution shortly. Some hissing from the audience as a staffer reads the resolution components – including the authorization to close facilities if necessary – to the board. One component of the resolution is a suspension of regular board meetings – so if it passes, tomorrow night’s regular board meeting would be postponed indefinitely. There is a suggestion that if this resolution isn’t passed, the strike could go on for a long time. West Seattle’s school board member Marty McLaren says she is “devastated” to hear that school won’t start tomorrow. Director Sue Peters says it’s “her hope” that an agreement can still be reached soon: “There are many important components to this resolution that I do support, but not #5 – authorization of legal action,” so she’s not supporting the resolution. Board president Sherry Carr says the “#1 priority” is an agreement that works for both sides: “This is the textbook case of what results from a profoundly broken K=12 funding mechanism in Washington state.”

6:39 PM: Roll call: Betty Patu abstains. Peters votes no. All others vote yes. The resolution passes, and that authorizes the district to take legal action against the union, among other things. “SHAME ON YOU!” yell several in the audience. And a few minutes later, as the board members leave, some shout “Thank you, Sue Peters.”

Bottom line as of right now:

*Seattle Education Association says it’ll be out on strike tomorrow
*Union bargainers said no time/date set for talks to continue
*School Board has voted to give staff authorization to take legal action and other actions mentioned in the resolution (above) that just passed 5-1-1

There will certainly be more information from both sides as the night goes on and we’ll update, but for now, the board meeting is over and we’re headed back to West Seattle.

SIDE NOTE: For those still seeking child care – Seattle Parks says that while Hiawatha Community Center is at capacity, Alki, Delridge, High Point, and South Park community centers have some space for kids 5-12 already enrolled in before/after-school care there. See the original announcement here.

8:11 PM: In the ensuing two hours, both sides have confirmed the strike in tweets – no long statements yet. (Here’s what the district said.) Meantime, as you might have seen in comments, parents say they’ll be out supporting picketing teachers tomorrow.

9:30 PM: And now the news releases from both sides. From the Seattle Education Association:

More than 5,000 Seattle teachers and paraprofessionals will be on strike Sept. 9, the scheduled first day of school.

Picket lines will begin at 8:30 am Wednesday at every one of Seattle’s 97 public schools.

It is the first contract-related strike by the Seattle Education Association since 1985. Seattle is Washington’s largest school district.

Contract negotiations continued until about 6 pm Monday. On Sept. 3, SEA members voted unanimously to strike if the Seattle School Board failed to negotiate a tentative contract agreement by the start of school.

While negotiations began in May, major unresolved issues haven’t changed:

*Professional pay: We need to attract and keep caring, qualified educators in Seattle, which is one of the most expensive cities in the United States. We’ve gone six years with no state COLA and five years with no state increase in funding for educator health care.

*Fair teacher and staff evaluations: Educators should be evaluated fairly and consistently, and the focus should be on providing the support all educators need to be successful.

*Reasonable testing: Too much standardized testing is stealing time away from classroom learning.

*Educator workload relief: Current workloads mean many students aren’t getting the help they need.

*Student equity around discipline and the opportunity gap: We need to focus on equity issues in every school, not just some.

*The administration’s proposal to make teachers work more for free: It is unrealistic to expect teachers to work more hours without additional pay, and the district administration has been unable to explain how their proposal would help students.

SEA represents about 5,000 teachers, instructional assistants, paraprofessionals, nurses, counselors, substitute teachers and office professionals who educate 52,000 students in the Seattle School District.

Teachers in Pasco, WA also are on strike.

Here’s the district news release:

Seattle Public Schools’ teachers have declared a strike against the district, effective at midnight September 9, 2015. There will be no school tomorrow, the originally scheduled first day of school. A collective bargaining agreement could not be reached.

Seattle Education Association (SEA), the union that represents the district’s educators, substitutes, paraprofessionals, instructional assistants and office professionals notified Superintendent Larry Nyland and the School Board by letter earlier tonight. The notification of intent to strike, was made prior to the Board’s decision to approve a resolution that would allow appropriate legal action. This allows the superintendent to take necessary action he deems appropriate to protect and serve the district’s interests should there be a strike.

Mediators were brought in to assist with the negotiation process last week. The two sides held bargaining sessions throughout the day today. After a brief break, SEA informed the district talks had concluded for the night and announced their intent to strike. The district’s bargaining team has made themselves available to meet with SEA’s bargaining team at any time.

The district has partnered with the City of Seattle on child care options including Seattle Parks and Recreation and some SPS daycares will remain open.

SPS and SEA have the same shared goal of providing a quality education for our 53,000 students. The district is hopeful for a swift resolution and those students can start their school year soon.

Bargaining updates and information including child care options can be found on the SPS website.

Also: Just received word that tomorrow night’s 34th District Democrats meeting (7 pm, The Hall at Fauntleroy) will start with an update from the union’s bargaining leader, who’s seen in our video above.