With labor talks at a standstill and no new negotiations scheduled, Los Angeles Unified School District campuses were expected to be closed Tuesday through Thursday, leaving more than 400,000 students without classes as service workers strike to demand improve wages and working conditions.
The 30,000 workers represented by the Service Employees International Union Local 99 — including cafeteria workers, bus drivers, custodians, special education assistants and others — are set to begin picketing at 4:30 a.m. The roughly 30,000 members of the powerful teachers union, United Teachers Los Angeles, will honor the picket line.
Parents of LAUSD students won’t be without help, however. Here are resources available during the strike:
Student supervision sites
During the strike, the district and city will work together to offer student supervision at selected sites. The experience isn’t expected to be just like a day at school, but will offer a site for parents to take children who cannot say at home, with family members or at day care.
There are more than 150 sites around the district.
LAUSD promises to update this site with details on the sites, including real-time status reports on capacity.
Food for families
Families may pick up meals for their students at LAUSD’s Grab & Go sites on Tuesday, March 21 from 7:30 to 10:30 a.m. Six meals per student will be provided at pickup, to cover breakfast and lunch over three days, according to the district.
There are more than 20 sites around the district.
Look for more information about food distribution sites here.
Los Angeles County Parks sites
The L.A. County Parks and Recreation Department will also help care for students by offering breakfast, lunch and activities at more than a dozen sites sites from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. during the strike.
The Every Body Plays program is a free drop-in recreation program where children ages 7-17 can participate in activities that include sports, games and arts and crafts.
Youth will be able to complete school assignments and use the computer lab, if space is available, officials said.
Information on the Every Body Plays Drop In Adventures program: parks.lacounty.gov/
Belvedere Park (4914 E. Cesar Chavez Ave., Los Angeles)
City Terrace Park (1126 N. Hazard Ave., East Los Angeles)
Obregon Park (4021 E. First St., Los Angeles)
Saybrook Park (6250 E. Northside Drive, East Los Angeles)
Ruben Salazar Park (3864 Whittier Blvd., Los Angeles)
Athens Park (12603 S. Broadway, Los Angele)
Bethune Park (1244 E. 61st St., Los Angeles)
Helen Keller Park (1045 W. 126th St., Los Angeles)
Jesse Owens Park (9651 S. Western Ave., Los Angeles)
Earvin Magic Johnson Park (905 E. El Segundo Blvd., Los Angeles)
Roosevelt Park (7600 Graham Ave., Los Angeles)
Ted Watkins Park (1335 E. 103rd St., Los Angele)
Leon H. Washington Park (8908 S. Maie Ave., Los Angeles)
Victoria Park (419 Martin Luther King Jr. St., Carson)
El Cariso Park (13100 Hubbard St., Sylmar)
Crescenta Valley Park (3901 Dunsmore Ave., Glendale)
Also, The Deane Dana Friendship and the Stoneview nature centers will have extended hours from 8 a.m.-5:30 p.m. on March 21-23. These sites will also serve free breakfast and lunches, while supplies last.
Deane Dana Friendship Park and Nature Center is located at 1805 W. Ninth St., San Pedro) and the Stoneview Nature Center is at 5950 Stoneview Drive, Culver City.
Los Angeles County Library system
The L.A. County Library officials welcome LAUSD students to visit their local branches during the strike.
Officials said there will be expanded services and snacks available at branches in areas impacted by school closures. Here are the sites listed on the county libraries’ website:
A C Bilbrew Library, 150 E. El Segundo Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90061
Anthony Quinn Library, 3965 Cesar Chavez Ave Los Angeles 90063, (323) 264-7715
Bell Library, 4411 East Gage Avenue, Bell 90201, (323) 560-2149
Cudahy Library, 5218 Santa Ana Street Cudahy, CA 90201
Culver City Julian Dixon Library, 4975 Overland Avenue, Culver City, CA 90230
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library, 17906 South Avalon Blvd., Carson, CA 90746
East Los Angeles Library, 4837 East 3rd St, Los Angeles 90022, (323) 264-0155
El Camino Real Library, 4264 East Whittier Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90023
Florence Library, 1610 E. Florence Ave., Los Angeles 90001, (323) 581-8028
Gardena Mayme Dear Library, 1731 W. Gardena Blvd., Gardena 90247, (310) 323-6363
Graham Library, 1900 East Firestone Blvd, Los Angeles 90001, (323) 582-2903
Hawthorne Library, 12700 Grevillea Avenue, Hawthorne, CA 90250
Huntington Park Library, 6518 Miles Ave, Huntington Park 90255, (323) 583-1461
Leland Weaver Library, 4035 Tweedy Blvd, South Gate 90280, (323) 567-8853
Lomita Library, 24200 Narbonne Avenue, Lomita, CA 90717
Masao W. Satow Library, 14433 South Crenshaw Blvd., Gardena, CA 90249
Maywood Cesar Chavez Library, 4323 East Slauson Ave Maywood 90270, (323) 771-8600
Pico Rivera Library, 9001 Mines Ave. Pico Rivera, CA 90660
San Fernando Library, 217 N. Maclay Ave., San Fernando 91340, (818) 365-6928
View Park Bebe Moore Campbell Library, 3854 W. 54th St, Los Angeles 9004, (323) 293-5371
West Hollywood Library, 625 N. San Vicente Blvd, West Hollywood 90069, (310) 652-5340
Willowbrook Library, 11737 Wilmington Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90059
Woodcrest Library, 1340 West 106th St., Los Angeles 90044, (323) 757-9373
The library system also offers homework help and other resources for students. More information here.
Social media updates
For social media updates for parents from LAUSD, follow their Instagram and Twitter accounts @LAUSDsup. Updates are also promised on the LAUSD website.
Schoolwork while on strike
LAUSD officials said parents will be able to get schoolwork for students to complete online.
During the strike, students can log in to Schoology, the district’s communication system for families, to access activities and resources. Students may also request printed activities and resources at their school. the district said.
More answers to families’ questions
LAUSD has posted answers to some frequently asked questions here.
Los Angeles Zoo
The L.A. zoo will offer free admission to currently enrolled Los Angeles Unified School District students in grades K-12, with a $5 fee for an accompanying adult, on March 21-23.
Students need to show proof of enrollment by presenting their school identification card, report card, school newsletter, or similar proof of enrollment. Free admission will be offered only on days that LAUSD schools are impacted by the pending closures.
Tickets must be purchased in person at the Zoo box office. This is offer is only good for Tuesday-Thursday this week. Tickets are not available online.
The zoo is also offering a “Community Safari Day” program for children in grades K-5. The Learning and Engagement staff at the zoo will lead activities and crafts about for students, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. March 21-23. Extended morning (8-9 a.m.) and afternoon (4-5) hours will also be offered with paid registration. Admission will be $50 per student. Online advance registration is required. In the event that school closures end, any fees paid for future dates will be refunded. No refunds will be permitted for other individual cancellations. Register here.
Regular zoo admission is $22 for adults and $17 for children ages 2-12.
The Zoo is located at 5333 Zoo Drive, Los Angeles. 323-644-4200
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City News Service contributed to this report