Strongsville Teachers Accept Settlement Offer

The Strongsville Education Association ratified a contract offer from the Strongsville Board of Education Saturday, a huge step toward ending the eight-week-old teachers strike.

"It passed overwhelmingly," said Tracy Linscott, SEA president. "I'm excited to be back."

Linscott said she believes healing from the strike, which divided the community, "has already started."

We reached an agreement we both said OK to," she said. "It started by actually getting a mutual agreement."

About 100 parents and students greeted teachers as they arrived at Strongsville High School for the vote at 5 p.m. Saturday.

"It was an amazing welcome," Linscott said.

The School Board is scheduled to meet at 9 a.m. Sunday to also vote on ratification.

Still not known is when teachers might be back in the classroom. School officials were talking about canceling school on Monday so substitutes could retrieve their items from the school buildings, but if so, students would apparently have to make up the day this summer.

Whether it's Monday or Tuesday, Linscott said she and other teachers can't wait to see their students again.

"It's going to be an emotional day," she said.