Back To School In Vancouver

Vancouver, Wash. — Evergreen Public Schools and the Evergreen Education Association, the union representing classroom teachers, have reached an agreement on a new contract. As a result, the 2023-24 school year will commence with a two-hour late start on Monday.

The agreement came on Sunday after several days of negotiations and discussions between the school district and the union. Members of the Evergreen Education Association are scheduled to hold a ratification vote on the proposed three-year contract early Monday morning.

EPS Superintendent John Boyd expressed his enthusiasm for the new school year, stating, “We are excited for the new school year to finally begin.” He acknowledged the inconvenience and stress caused by the work stoppage and emphasized the importance of coming together as a district to provide students with the education they deserve.

For information on the specific delayed start times for schools, you can visit the district’s website at www.evergreenps.org.

Originally, the 2023-24 school year was slated to commence on August 30. However, the strike led to the closure of schools for the first seven scheduled school days. To ensure that EPS students receive the full 180 instructional days mandated by the state of Washington, these missed days will be added to the school calendar. Details regarding the makeup dates will be forthcoming.

The next step in this process involves the EPS Board of Directors voting to approve the new contract. This vote is scheduled to take place at the board’s upcoming meeting, set for Tuesday, September 12.