The Sheridan teachers strike that languished through much of the month is officially over.

The Sheridan School District Board of Education unanimously voted Tuesday to accept the union contract.

“It has been a long road to get to today,” Sheridan Educators Association President Kate Biester said in a statement to The Denver Gazette after this story published Wednesday. “Sheridan educators thank the Board for voting to ratify our agreement, and Governor Polis and his team for bringing both sides back to the table to negotiate a deal.

“Now it is time to move forward together: supporting our students through the end of this school year, rebuilding trust throughout our community, and determining the next steps for all Sheridan educators, especially the classified staff who have now achieved basic workers’ rights in this district.”

It’s unclear, without the contract, what the sides agreed to. SEA declined the Denver Gazette’s previous request to provide a copy of the agreement pending the board vote.

Board Vice President Sally Daigle, who is also the mayor of Sheridan, said the union contract was not substantially different from earlier proposals.

“They ended up with pretty much the same contract that the district offered them,” Daigle said.

One of the sticking points for the union was the number of staff required to unionize. Daigle said the threshold was lowered from 50 to 30 members.

Last week, the teachers’ strike entered its 17th day — the longest in more than four decades. Gov. Jared Polis brought both sides to the table, pressing the district and union to reach a deal.

The union voted to strike last month after contract negotiations could not be resolved.

The teachers’ contract with the district expired in July.

Union leaders had said previously they were pushing for more transparency from the district, particularly when it comes to school calendars and employee pay.

With the strike having stretched into the longest in more 40 years, it also captured the attention of the state legislature, which is considering a bill that would consolidate Sheridan with DPS.

The board on Tuesday also unanimously voted to reject consolidating.

Board members argued in the resolution that consolidating with DPS would alter the identity of Sheridan schools, result in the loss of local control over educational decisions and lead to school closures, displaced families and increased gentrification. 

Sheridan School District — with 924 students — is small compared to metro districts like Denver Public Schools, but typical of many Colorado districts. More than half of the state’s school districts enroll fewer than 1,000 students.

Scott Pribble, a DPS spokesperson, has declined to comment on the legislative proposal.