Academy School District 20 is canceling classes Friday, Superintendent Mark Hatchell announced in a letter to parents Tuesday night. Nearly one-quarter of the district's teachers reported they would be absent Friday, presumably to attend a school funding rally in Denver. The Colorado Education Association-organized event will call on lawmakers to commit to long-term education funding and not alter pension plans. That would leave more than 300 teaching positions unfilled, an "excessive level of absences" districtwide, Hatchell said. "These absences, combined with a limited substitute pool, mean we cannot ensure adequate supervision and instruction for our students," Hatchell said. Read more on Colorado Springs Gazette