Potential Work Stoppage- Message from Moses Lake School District

SCHOOL HAS NOT BEEN CANCELLED AT THIS TIME.
WE WILL LET YOU KNOW BY 5:00 ON SUNDAY WHETHER OR NOT SCHOOL WILL BE IN SESSION ON MONDAY.
Please read the message below for more details.
Hello Moses Lake School District Community,
The Moses Lake School District prioritizes the education, safety, and well-being of our students, and we want to share some important updates with you.
Although no official communication has been made from the Moses Lake Education Association to the Moses Lake School District, the District has received informal information that the Association intends to stop work on Monday, December 1, if a tentative labor agreement has not been reached by Sunday, November 30. We have also seen that many news outlets are reporting that a strike will begin on Monday.
We understand this news is upsetting and creates uncertainty for our students and their families, and we are committed to providing you with the information you need in order to plan for Monday. We will communicate with families NO LATER THAN 5:00 PM on SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 30, through ParentSquare, to let you know whether or not school will be in session on Monday, December 1.
The District remains committed to bargaining a fair and financially responsible labor agreement with the Association. On Wednesday, November 26, the Association informed the District, through a mediator, that it would be ready to provide the District with a proposal on Sunday, November 30, but not sooner. The District will be ready to receive and respond to any proposals it receives on Sunday.
Since June, all proposals from both parties have been posted on the Moses Lake School District website, LINKED HERE. Included in the District’s most recent proposal are:
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Reinstating elementary teacher planning time during the student day beginning in the 2026-27 school year, which would provide students with more specialist time each day (PE, Music, Library, etc.)
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52 hours per year of professional development provided by the District to every Association member
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A salary increase of the state-determined inflationary percentage of 2.57% for every association member
The long term success of each and every student in our school district will always be my highest priority. I appreciate your patience as we navigate this difficult time. Detailed information for families can be found below.
Thank You,
Carol Lewis, Moses Lake School District Superintendent
DETAILED INFORMATION FOR FAMILIES
Daily District Updates – 4:00 p.m.
Beginning December 1, the District will release a daily update at 4:00 p.m. through:
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ParentSquare
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District social media
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Email
These updates will include the latest information on mediation, school operations, activities, meal service, and family support resources.
To ensure you receive notifications, please check your ParentSquare settings. Help is available at MLSD ParentSquare.
Facilities Closed to Students and Visitors
For the safety of staff and community members, all the District school buildings and facilities will be closed to students and visitors during the work stoppage.
If students have essential items, including medications, they can stop by their school’s main office during normal school hours starting Monday, December 1, 2025, through Tuesday, December 2, 2025, at Noon.
Community use of our facilities for scheduled events will continue as long as it is possible to do so.
Only essential personnel will be permitted on-site.
Calendar Adjustments
We know learning loss is a concern for many. Please be assured that state law requires any missed instructional days to be made up after the stoppage ends, and our students will receive the required 180 days of instruction regardless of a work stoppage.
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The current last day of school is June 5, 2026.
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Additional days will be added beginning June 8, 2026, depending on the duration of the closure.
All calendared events, including all high school graduations, will be shifted by the total number of days lost during a work stoppage.
Food Services
The District will provide one breakfast and one lunch each day for enrolled MLSD students to pick up beginning on Monday, December 1, 2025.
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Pick-Up Time: 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM
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Pick-Up Locations: Elementary schools only; Groff students can pick up at either Garden Heights or Lakeview.
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Eligibility: Meals are available only for students currently enrolled in the Moses Lake School District.
Families with middle school or high school students may pick up meals at the elementary school serving their attendance area.
We appreciate your flexibility as we work to ensure students continue to have access to meals during this disruption.
MLSD Work Stoppage Information Hotline
A recorded daily update will be available beginning December 1 at: (509) 793-7769
This message will be refreshed once each day and will reflect the same information shared in the 4:00 p.m. update.
Athletics & Activities
Unlike academics, athletics, and activities cannot be made up at the end of the school year, and in order to offer these opportunities for our students, the District will offer coaches and advisors the option to continue providing services to students throughout the work stoppage. Coaches and advisors will be in direct contact with athletes and participants regarding all practices, events, and competitions.
To preserve time-sensitive student opportunities:
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Middle and High School winter sports competitions and practices may continue based on coach participation.
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Families will need to provide their own transportation to and from practices, and the District will provide transportation from school sites to and from competitions.
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Certain activities connected to academic competitions may continue, depending on advisor availability.
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