Teachers in suburban Chicago school district ending strike

FOREST PARK, Ill. (AP) - Classes are due to resume Monday for more than 4,000 students in a suburban Chicago school district after striking teachers reached agreement on a new contract.

Striking Proviso High School teachers reached a tentative agreement Wednesday with the school board on a three-year contract for teachers in the district's three high schools, the Chicago Tribune reported.

'œWe are pleased to reach an agreement that prioritizes our students, parents and communities,'ť Proviso Teachers Union Local 571 President Maggie Riley said in a statement. 'œOur membership will be voting on the tentative agreement next week,'ť Riley said.

District 209 School Board President Rodney Alexander said in a statement the union and district officials 'œare pleased to announce we have reached a tentative agreement on the terms of a three-year contract.'ť

'œThe Board, District administrators and teachers look forward to continuing to work together to maintain and enhance the quality of education and fiscal stability of District 209 for the benefit of our students, staff and community,'ť Alexander said.

Alexander said all classes and extracurricular activities will resume on Monday and 'œspecific contract terms will be available for public release'ť after the union and school board officially vote to approve the agreement.

Students are on spring break this week.

The strike began March 4.