Parents make arrangements as 1-day school closure looms

Schools around Saskatchewan will close Thursday as teachers engage in job action — and that's got some parents scrambling.

Teachers represented by the Saskatchewan Teachers' Federation will hold a one-day study session that includes a rally at the provincial legislature. They say they'll be back on the job Friday.

Schools sent out notices to families Tuesday. Since then, some parents have been phoning around trying to make child care arrangements.

"There's going to be daycares, and [others], maybe even myself, busy taking on additional children right now to accomodate with school not being running on Thursday," said Wendy Craig, a mother of four whose children go to Grant Road School in Regina.

Union members vote for sanctions

Teachers have been without a contract since last August. Last week, members gave their union a strike mandate, with a 95 per cent approval rate.

The teachers said a wide variety of sanctions are being considered, which doesn't necessarily mean a full strike.

But some parents are looking at the future and have expressed concerns about the worst-case scenario.

Heather Mitchall is concerned about the impact the one-day walkout will have on her two daughters at Campbell Collegiate in Regina. 

"There's a lot of unanswered questions right now," Mitchall said. "My daughter has come home, the one in Grade 12, and said that if the teachers go on strike they won't be allowed a graduation ceremony, so that's a bit of an issue."

Mitchall said her daughter has been talking about graduation all year, and even has her dress picked out.

She said she understands why the teachers are rallying, but still believes it's not fair to students.

Teachers are asking for a one-year wage increase of 12 per cent, while management — a joint committee of school board trustees and the province — is offering 1.5, 2, and 2 over three years.