Peninsula teachers and staff have voted to support the contract negotiated by two employee associations and the school district.

The executive boards of the Kenai Peninsula Education Association and the Kenai Peninsula Education Support Association certified results from a vote to ratify the contract for teachers and support staff in the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District.

The results were overwhelmingly in favor of the contract, which the district and associations agreed upon in the early hours of Sept. 17, a Wednesday press release from the associations said.

Vote totals will not be released by the associations.

“We’re eager to put this bargain behind us,” David Brighton, president of KPEA, said in the release. “This vote signifies that our member’s interests were heard, and that a fair agreement was reached. I hope the School Board takes quick action to approve this contract so we can all work together to provide the best education possible for the students of our district.”

Now that the associations members have approved the contract, the school board will need to also approve the contract at their next regular meeting on Oct. 7.

“I’m very pleased to see a great turnout and a decisive ratification vote by our members,” Anne McCabe, KPESA president, said. “This process has taken a long time and we wouldn’t be here today without the support of our dedicated educators, and the parents, students, and community partners who were with us one hundred percent of the way.”