BOSTON — Teachers fighting for new contracts in three Massachusetts communities pressed their demands Monday as parents prepared for the possibility of more classes being canceled Tuesday.

Teachers in Beverly and Gloucester voted Thursday to authorize a strike, and schools were closed Friday as teachers in both districts went on strike over pay, paid parental leave and other issues.

In a third community, Marblehead, teachers voted Tuesday to join pickets. School officials in Marblehead, about 15 miles north of Boston, have already announced that schools will be closed and there will be no extracurricular activities or sports on Tuesday.

Schools were closed on Monday for the Veterans Day holiday.

Educators from all three communities attended a rally Monday afternoon in Gloucester, about 35 miles (56.3 kilometers) north of Boston. Hundreds of teachers waved banners and listened to the speeches.

In Gloucester, the union at the 2,800-student district is demanding eight weeks of fully paid parental leave, with two weeks at 75% and two weeks at 50%. He also wants significant wage increases for paraprofessionals, safer conditions for students and more preparation time for elementary school teachers.

Gloucester School Committee chairwoman Kathy Clancy said Monday that the committee had been informed by an independent, state-appointed mediator that the teachers union had refused to negotiate on pay and would not submit a counteroffer on Monday.

“Salary has been a key issue throughout negotiations, and we have worked to expand city finances to come close to the union’s original offer without placing an additional burden on city taxpayers,” he said.

Officials in Beverly, about 25 miles north of Boston, said talks with teachers were still ongoing. Officials said they would provide an update Monday evening on whether the school will open on Tuesday.

Even if school is canceled, officials said they are ready to continue negotiations.

The Beverly Teachers Association said last week that it was pushing for reduced class sizes in the 4,500-student district, 12 weeks of paid parental leave and a “living wage” for paraprofessionals, or teacher assistants, with a starting salary of $20,000.

Julia Brotherton, co-president of the Beverly Teachers Association, issued a written statement blasting the school committee for refusing to agree to everything from extended lunches and recess for students to allowing educators to use earned sick time to care for sick and dying family members. .

Rachael Abell, chairwoman of the Beverly School Committee, criticized the strike for “unfairly” disrupting students’ education.

“We call on the BTA to end its illegal strike and engage in working with the mediator to negotiate in good faith,” Abell said in a statement last week. he said.

Teacher strikes are rare in Massachusetts, in part because state law prohibits public sector employees from striking.

Teachers last went on strike earlier this year in the Boston suburb of Newton, and the 11-day strike ended after the two sides reached an agreement. The Newton strike was the state’s sixth and longest teachers’ strike since 2022.

The two sides agreed to a nearly 13 percent increase in the cost of living for teachers over four years, pay raises for classroom aides and 40 days of fully paid family leave.