Teachers and parents press Centennial SD 28J for more special-education placements as bargaining tensions surface
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Summary
During public comment at the Centennial School District board meeting, a Park Lane music teacher and a parent described extreme classroom disruptions and inadequate internal SSC placements; the Centennial Education Association reported a 304-signature pledge signaling readiness to strike if negotiations do not secure smaller class sizes, more planning time and higher pay.
Nicola Lampy, a music teacher at Park Lane Elementary, told the Centennial School District board that a small number of students with severe trauma-related behaviors are disrupting learning and posing safety risks to staff and peers. "It's about the extremely disruptive behavior of students who are severely traumatized," Lampy said, and she estimated the number of students causing the most serious disruptions is "about 10 kids." She urged the district to develop internal solutions and better use in-house expertise rather than relying solely on costly out-of-district placements.
Cassidy Rogers, a parent of a student with a profound disability, described her son’s experience after being placed in the district’s single internal SSC classroom for kindergarten. Rogers said the class was composed of older students, creating "developmentally inappropriate expectations," and that her son experienced repeated suspensions that removed instructional time. "This was not a setting where he could learn and thrive," Rogers said, adding that the family moved to home tutorial instruction while an appropriate in-school placement remains unavailable.
Clarissa Buckles, a science teacher at Centennial High School and membership chair for the Centennial Education Association (CEA), reported that a membership pledge banner gathered 304 signatures — roughly 90% of membership and 85% of certified staff, she said — signaling broad support behind bargaining demands. "We are prepared to take action and pledge to strike with the bargaining team to ensure that the Centennial School District stops hoarding taxpayer dollars and invests these funds into the classrooms," Buckles said, while clarifying the pledge was not a binding vote.
Speakers at the meeting and district staff acknowledged the cost of alternative placements and the complexity of staffing and budgets. Board members and the superintendent noted that some specialized placements are expensive, and that the district must balance budgets while considering the need for additional internal SSC placements and supports. The superintendent and negotiators have been conducting mediation with the union, which participants said began the prior Wednesday.
The public-comment portion of the meeting lasted the scheduled 30 minutes and the board did not respond to the individual complaints during the forum; the district’s public process for operational issues was reiterated, and staff were directed to follow up through the superintendent’s office. The board did not take any formal action on placements or bargaining during this meeting.