School started on schedule Tuesday morning after a mutual agreement was reached Monday between the teachers association bargaining team and the South Whidbey School District.

Teachers will receive a 5 percent salary increase this year and another 5 percent next year, in addition to a 3 percent cost of living adjustment from the state.

“We are really happy and excited to be in school on the first day of school and very glad we could work this out with the least impact to our families,” said fourth-grade teacher Rachel Kizer on Tuesday morning.

South Whidbey schools Superintendent Jo Moccia echoed those sentiments, saying district officials were relieved an agreement was reached without delaying the start of the 2015-2016 school year.

“The district was really motivated to get kids back in school, that was our first priority,” she said.

Now that a deal has been hammered out, district officials and the association can proceed with their mutual goal of educating students.

“We’re moving forward together,” she said.

Eighty-six of the 90 teachers in the district attended Monday night’s South Whidbey Education Association meeting at Langley United Methodist Church where they voted to ratify the new contract.

The teachers association’s bargaining team arrived at the meeting to a standing ovation. The contract was approved by an unanimous vote.

“They were fantastic,” Kizer said. “They stayed on message, they represented us, and they were professional throughout. They worked to negotiate a fair contract.”

Freeland resident Larry Johnson, a supporter of the teachers and parent of two children in the district, stood outside the association meeting with a sign that said, “Don’t settle for less than you deserve.”

Johnson was glad to receive a notification from the district that school was planning to begin on schedule on Tuesday. He was also happy to see the teachers were going to receive what he felt they earned.

“They deserve it. And they deserve a lot more,” Johnson said. “I don’t think they’re asking as much as they should get. We’re a small district, yes, but we have the same needs that Seattle public schools have.”

The new contract ended a five-day strike by the South Whidbey Education Association, which began after educators overwhelmingly rejected the district’s initial offer of a 1.5 percent salary increase during a general membership meeting last Wednesday. That was on top of a 3 percent cost of living increase mandated by the state.

Members of the teachers union approved the strike by a 97 percent vote.

Teachers’ bargainers Val Brown, David Nelson, Robin Roberts and Becky Ward met with the district’s team, comprised of Moccia and Assistant Superintendent Dan Poolman, over the course of the strike to reach an agreement.

Talks weren’t smooth at first.

“I think we were very far apart in the beginning,” Kizer said. “I think they went back and forth as (negotiations) do. When we took the strike vote, the mediators stepped in and they continued to be back and forth, up and down until the final offer yesterday that was agreed upon by both sides.”

Kizer referred to the strike as the most unified effort she had ever seen in her 31 years with the district.

They were at their strongest on Thursday following the strike vote.

The vast majority of association teachers, as well as community members and parents, picketed along Maxwelton Road in front of the high school in the morning and later walked the streets of Langley in protest.

Throughout, community members could be seen holding signs that read, “I SUPPORT S. Whidbey TEACHERS.” Even as teachers walked into their meeting Monday night, Langley residents shouted their support.

“It was humbling to see all of the different ways people showed us support,” Kizer said. “From our Whidbey nurses to local firefighters to Langley police to individuals who supported us on social media and out in the community with signs on cars and in busses. We are very grateful for the show of support and I personally am humbled and deeply, deeply grateful. I appreciate the school district stepping up and working out this dispute.”

Moccia said the money for the increase will come out of this year’s fund balance, but that only goes so far. Later years, she said, will take administrators and teachers brainstorming together to identify funding.

“We’ve got our work cut out for us… [but] it’s not insurmountable,” Moccia said.