At a special meeting Aug. 22, the Evergreen Public Schools Board of Directors adopted Resolution No. 7077 to move the district’s first day of school from Tuesday, Aug. 26, to Tuesday, Sept. 2, citing the board’s finding that an unlawful strike by employees represented by the Public School Employees of Washington (PSE) Evergreen Chapter Large Group is “imminent or underway.”

The board said the calendar change is intended to provide “certainty and stability to families and staff” and to avoid day-to-day school cancellations if a strike continues. The resolution directs the district bargaining team to make itself available to negotiate with PSE Large Group each business day until a resolution is reached.

The board also adopted a package of contingency authorities to be used only during any withholding of services by PSE Large Group. Those measures include suspension of policies that would limit the board’s ability to act during a work stoppage; authorization for the superintendent or designee to close school facilities and to limit access to law enforcement, employees not withholding services, enrolled students and their parents or guardians, and other persons the superintendent deems necessary; and direction to seek legal assistance to remove unauthorized persons from district property.

The resolution sets out employee leave rules during a strike: any employee requesting sick leave during a strike must provide an affidavit of illness and a doctor’s certificate, and sick leave pay will not be granted unless the employee worked or was validly excused the day before and the day after the claimed illness. Unpaid leave during a strike requires district approval and will be granted only for documented hardship or unforeseen circumstances, after employees exhaust available paid leave balances.

The board authorized the superintendent or designee to hire temporary employees, including security staff and service contractors at reasonable rates, and to obtain equipment, supplies, and materials as needed to maintain safe and effective district operations. The resolution states all authorizations will remain in effect only while services are withheld by PSE Large Group and will automatically expire once the parties reach a signed tentative agreement and employees return to work.

Board members spoke briefly after the resolution was read. One board member urged bargaining teams to use the week to reach an agreement and “assure our families that we’re doing everything that we can,” while another said the district should take lessons from prior work stoppages in 2018 and 2023 and use the additional time to provide clarity for families and staff. The board held an executive session at the start of the meeting under RCW 42.30.110 to consult with legal counsel about current or potential litigation before taking the public action.

The motions to adopt the meeting agenda and to approve Resolution No. 7077 were approved by voice vote; the record shows the board called for “Aye” and moved to adopt, with no recorded roll-call tally in the transcript.