Teachers, District Reach Tentative Contract Agreement

The school district has reached a tentative agreement with teachers on a new contract, Superintendent Jeff Lampert said Monday night.

Details are not being released until the Strongsville Education Association, which represents the teachers, votes to ratify the pact.

"We're pleased with the spirit of collaboration, and with everyone looking at the big picture of the district and moving forward," Lampert said. 

SEA President Tracy Linscott said she is glad the process is over.

"It's been nine months, so we're very pleased we reached an agreement," she said.

The SEA will meet Feb. 27 to vote whether to ratify the contract.

Linscott, too, declined to discuss details, but said she believes there are "good parts and bad parts" for both sides.

"I think people are looking forward to moving on and doing what we do best, which is teach," she said.

Teachers have been working without a contract since the end of July. Tension has run high in recent weeks, with teachers showing solidarity by packing a recent School Board meeting and instituting "work to rule," in which they do the minimum work their contract requires and nothing more.

Some teachers have said work to rule lasted only a few days in early February, until the tentative contract was hammered out.

School Board member Dave Gusman said he is happy with the agreement.

"I'm pleased with what's in there and I hope the public will be, too," Gusman said.

An agreement with teachers has been viewed as crucial to the district's hopes of voters approving a 9.9-mill operating levy on the May ballot.