EATONVILLE, Wash — The Eatonville Education Association (EEA) approved a new contract with the Eatonville School District (ESD), officially bringing an end to a week-long teacher strike.
The agreement was ratified by more than 100 teachers on Thursday.
The first day of school has a tentative start date of Sept. 16 for students in first through 12th grade. Preschool students tentatively start Sept. 19. Kindergarten tentatively starts Sept. 21.
The agreement comes after six days of picketing by educators. The EEA said smaller class sizes were a top priority. There are about 1,800 students enrolled in the ESD.
“We want to thank our community members and those across the state for your generous support,” said Michael Sniezak, teacher and president of the EEA. “It took marching to get where we are today. I am proud of what we accomplished. Now, we are ready to get back to our students, in our classrooms.”
Sniezak previously said the bargaining process "has been moments of hope and then moments of frustration."
Union members submitted a letter of no confidence in Superintendent Gary Neal on Tuesday, urging the school board to call for his immediate resignation, Sniezak said. Neal has had the job for about a year.
"We want our students to be the number one priority for him,” said Sniezak. “We didn't feel that was the case, so that's how the vote of no confidence came into play.”
An ESD spokesperson said the superintendent was unavailable for an interview on Wednesday because the district's team was at the bargaining table.
Teachers were also bargaining for a bigger raise than the district initially offered, however, class sizes and student supports were the main sticking points in contract negotiations, Sniezak said.