The Medford teacher strike is over.
Teachers plan to resume teaching on Monday, following an announcement late Friday night that teachers and the Medford School District reached a tentative agreement to end the 16-day strike.
No details of the settlement were immediately made public. Members of the Medford Education Association (MEA) need to ratify terms of the agreement this weekend. The school board must approve the contract terms as well.
An open letter to parents and students posted on the Medford School District website notes that the agreement is a 3-year deal, a key compromise by teachers who had previously sought a 2-year contract.
Both sides expressed relief that an agreement was reached ending the strike, which impacted more than 12,000 Medford students and their families.
Medford School District Superintendent Phil Long's open letter says district, teachers and the community "have experienced a tide of emotions, and some among us will have difficulty adjusting back to what we think of as 'normal'.”
Bridget McMillen, a Jefferson Elementary School teacher and member of the MEA bargaining team, said that teachers would be working over the weekend to prepare their classrooms and be ready to teach on Monday.
