With the news that the teachers of the Snoqualmie Valley School District ratified their contract, there has been an excited rumble in the Valley. Maybe it’s the sound of grateful parents who can’t wait to see their children back in school. So many of us expected a strike on Sept. 3 that we had to get a second source to verify the rumors.

I think we should all applaud the school district and teachers for coming to an agreement and moving forward. The timing couldn’t have been better, as residents of the Valley need to feel good about their district and efforts on both sides of the negotiations. With one major item down, we now need to focus on passing a bond for new schools as well as dealing with the short-term financial crisis that has the district scrambling.

But the key is that school will start on Sept. 3 and parents can collectively breathe a sigh of relief.