Sand Springs Schools to close Monday for teacher walkout, possibly longer

The Sand Springs Public School District will be closed Monday, April 2 due to insufficient staffing. 

According to a district survey, 63% of teachers intend to strike in protest of insufficient state funding. Many will be heading to the State Capitol to lobby for increased funding from the State legislature. 

"Although we would like to provide preparation time, we are only able to give notice one day at a time," said a public statement. "We will keep you updated through our social media, district website, local media and our messaging system."

Many local organizations have come together to help pick up the load that the schools normally carry, including meals and childcare. Free meals can be found at the following location for the duration of the teach walkout. Breakfast is served from 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. and lunch will be served from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Anyone with questions can contact Mikael Howard at 918-246-1400 or mikael.howard@sandites.org. 

Salvation Army (lunch and breakfast) - 4403 South 129th West Avenue, Sand Springs.
Lake Methodist Church (lunch and breakfast) - 7750 West 14th Street, Tulsa.
Garfield STEAM Academy (lunch and breakfast) - 701 North Roosevelt Avenue, Sand Springs.
Olivet Baptist Church (lunch) - 155 North 65th West Avenue, Tulsa. 
Harvest Church West Tulsa (breakfast) - 331 South 49th West Avenue, Tulsa. 
Church That Matters (lunch) - 3 West 41st Street, Sand Springs.
River Oaks Community Center (lunch) - 4800 West 16th Street, Sand Springs.

The Sand Springs School Board and Sand Springs City Council both passed unanimous declarations of support for teachers who choose to walk out. The district currently has six unused snow days, but if the walkout lasts longer than that, the school year will have to be extended. 

SEE RELATED: SSPS Superintendent Durkee addresses teacher walkouts at District Dialogue
SEE RELATED: Sand Springs City Council approves resolution of support for teachers
SEE RELATED: Sand Springs Board of Education approves resolution of solidarity with teacher walk-out

Tulsa Technology Center and Tulsa Community College will both be open during the walkout and district transportation to those schools will continue as usual. Students will be able to meet the bus at Charles Page High School for transportation. All extracurricular and athletic activities will continue, including Prom and Graduation. 

The Salvation Army Boys and Girls Clubs of the Tulsa Metro area will be providing a free Education Alternative for the duration of the walkout, including their Sand Springs location at 4403 South 129th West Avenue. Space is limited at each location. The club is open to children ages five to seventeen from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m, Monday through Friday. Volunteers are needed and can reach Charity Mitchell at 918-587-7801 or at charity.mitchell@uss.salvationarmy.org. Other clubs are located at: 

Boys & Girls Club Broken Arrow – 918-258-7545, 1400 W. Washington, Broken Arrow, 74012
Boys & Girls Club Creek County/Sapulpa – 918-224-4415, 1721 S. Hickory, Sapulpa, 74066
Boys & Girls Club Sand Springs – 918-245-2237, 4403 S. 129th West Ave., Sand Springs, 74063
Mabee Red Shield Boys & Girls Club – 918-834-2464, 1231 N. Harvard, Tulsa, OK 74115
North Mabee Boys & Girls Club – 918-425-7534, 3001 N Cincinnati, Tulsa, OK 74106
West Mabee Boys & Girls Club – 918-582-4327, 2143 S Olympia, Tulsa, OK 74107

Governor Mary Fallin recently signed a revenue package funding an average pay raise of $6,100 for teachers and $50 million in general education funding. The bill increased the gross production tax on oil wells to 5%, increased the cigarette tax by $1.00 per pack, increased gasoline tax by $0.03 a gallon and the diesel tax by $0.06 a gallon. 

However, the Oklahoma Education Association previously announced demands of $10,000 in teacher pay raises, as well as $5,000 raises for support staff, $213 million in state employee raises, $200 million in public school funding, and $255.9 million in health care funding. The OEA has not backed down from its demands at press time and are still calling for a walkout.