Community
Our GAPS family and people neighbors Albany have shown incredible support during our strike—your solidarity fuels our fight for better schools! This page is your hub for updates and ways to stay involved as we work together for the future our students deserve.
Looking to support our strike efforts directly? Reach out to our Community Volunteer Coordinator, Hillary Mehlhoff, at volunteerlife24@gmail.com or call/text (541) 223-7569. Hillary is here to connect you with ways to get involved and make a difference!
More than 200 Albany parents, community members, and local leaders sign on in support of GAPS teachers fighting for their students
As 600 Greater Albany Public School teachers head into a weekend of picket trainings after authorizing their first strike in 40 years, they are met with an outpouring of community support
Albany, OR - Over 200 parents, community members, and local leaders across Albany have signed on in support of Greater Albany Public School teachers fighting to address crisis level education conditions across the district.
The support comes at a key moment for GAPS teachers who overwhelmingly authorized their first strike since 1987 this Tuesday - and is a welcome boon as educators head into a strike prep weekend of major picket line trainings.
A districtwide strike for all 21 schools is set to begin on November 12, if GAPS management and Superintendent Andy Gardner do not make urgent movement to address serious learning condition issues before then.
Stacey Bartholomew, GAPS parent, Albany City Councilor, and President of the Creating Housing Coalition: “I am a GAPS parent and a long time advocate for change here in the Greater Albany Community. I’ve seen first hand the impacts of the current Superintendent and School Board’s blatant disregard for our community. In his short tenure, he has made our public School Board meetings less accessible to the public and parents like myself. GAPS management can still avoid a strike, if they act now to demonstrate they understand the urgency of this crisis, and make meaningful steps to resource our community’s most vulnerable students. If they continue to fail to, parents and families will do what we have to, to stand up for our students and support our teachers on the strike line.”
Kat Martinez, GAPS parent: “I am a parent of 3 GAPS students. I have a 5th grader at Central, a 7th grader at Memorial, and a freshman at West. Public schools are the heart of our communities. Schools are a place where our children learn to read, write, add and subtract - but they are so much more. Schools are where our children learn to navigate the world without us as parents right beside them. Schools are where children learn how to follow instructions, write their name on their work, make friends and handle conflict. We need a School Board committed to hiring, nurturing, and keeping the high quality teachers Albany children deserve.”
Chelsey Vatcoskay, GAPS parent: “Our district needs to do everything they can to support and retain the excellent teachers we have at GAPS. Although teachers definitely do deserve raises, more importantly they need support and smaller class sizes. Andy Gardner and the school board: Do better for your employees! Do better for our kids. Do better for our community.”
Michelle Injety, Albany Community Member: “The lack of support staff, due to budget cuts, have had a severe negative impact on student learning and Teacher support. So often, they are taking work home to complete on their own time because their contracted time is so limited and District provided resources are scarce. The Teachers are lacking in resources and time to appropriately handle difficult children, let alone provide support to the kids that are engaged and ready to learn. It's time that the District gets behind their teachers!”
Jeana Dittmer, GAPS parent: “I am a parent of 5 children who all attended GAPS schools; my youngest is currently in high school. I know first hand just how hard our teachers work, the conditions they face, and the sacrifices they make. All for our kids! They deserve better and I support them and what they are asking for. Our kids can’t afford to lose our teachers!”
Pearl Arck, GAPS parent: “Our teachers educate, motivate, inspire, and make connections with our children. We need to retain great teachers so our children can benefit from their knowledge and wisdom. We need to allow teachers and students to form meaningful relationships that will guide their futures by keeping workloads manageable. We need to prioritize teacher health and wellness so they can be present and ready to do the jobs they love for the students they care for.”
Lynne Wright, GAPS parent: “Our children and now our grandchildren are going through the Albany school system. We strongly stand with the teachers and their desire to provide the best possible opportunities for their pupils.”
Chris Holden, Albany community member: “Albany teachers impact our community health also. We support their efforts to ensure immediate and long term solutions for our students and their families.”
Sydney Roberts, GAPS alumna: “I spent most of my K-12 education in the Greater Albany Public School District and because of the commitment and compassion of GAPS educators, I was able to go on to pursue higher education at a top university and begin a fulfilling, impactful career in the nation’s capital. These teachers are the backbone of Albany’s community and it’s absolutely unacceptable they have been forced to work without a contract because GAPS management refuses to bargain in good faith. District leadership needs to understand that teachers’ working conditions are students’ learning conditions. You cannot expect to have a thriving school district where students are able to succeed if educators don’t have access to a fair contract that ensures family-sustaining pay, quality benefits and a safe work environment. It is beyond shameful that GAPS management is refusing to do right by the public servants who are mentoring and educating the leaders of tomorrow. Current GAPS students and alumni stand in solidarity with the Greater Albany Educators Association in their fight for the collective bargaining agreement they rightfully deserve.”
This weekend, hundreds of GAPS teachers will participate in picket line training in the event that GAPS management is unwilling to resolve strike issues regarding student support and learning conditions in mediation next week. Current mediation sessions are set for Monday, November 4, and Thursday, Nov 7.