Gloucester to make up school days from teacher strike during February vacation
GLOUCESTER - Parents with children in the Gloucester school system may be changing their vacation plans after the school announced makeup days following a more than two-week teacher strike in November. The new plan will see kids head to class during what was supposed to be February vacation, and the last day of school will now be June 26.
Family still going to Disney World
"I found out today they are making up four of the days for February vacation, taking away all of it," said Karen Ferrant, a mother of four with multiple children in the school district.
In January, Ferrant and her family made plans to go to Disney World. The trip costs roughly $15,000, and she says a large portion of that is non-refundable.
"We are still going to go. I reached out to the superintendent in an email with my kids' principals, lEPs, and liaisons," said Ferrant.
Two-week strike in Gloucester
In November, Gloucester teachers went on strike for two weeks hoping for better pay, and eventually they struck a deal with the district. Ferrant sympathizes with the educators and expected the lost school days to be made up, but she hoped it wouldn't impact her plans.
"I told them it was already paid for, and I would cooperate in getting anything my kids could do for work in the meantime," said Ferrant.
Her family is not alone. Other parents have taken to social media while trying to figure out what to do with their paid vacations. This includes parents in Beverly and Marblehead who also are dealing with makeup day debacles. Each district missed 10 days or more due to strikes.
"My sister is a teacher in Beverly, so now she is going to have to work during February, so she is not being able to join [the trip to Disney World]," said Ferrant.
Students expected to be in class
She says an email went out to parents, one line saying students are expected to be in class for the full day, the next line saying they understand families have vacations planned. While she calls the statement very contradictory, she also admits there aren't many other options.
"I believe the teachers will have to plan around it," said Ferrant.
