NORWICH – For more than a year and a half, Norwich teachers have worked under an expired contract while their union and the district have tried to negotiate a new agreement. Now, it looks like an end to the long, painful process may finally be in sight.

On Thursday and Friday of last week, members of the Norwich Educators Organization voted on a tentative agreement, signed by the union and the Norwich City School District on Feb. 23. The agreement was the result of an additional round of negotiations agreed to by both parties as an alternative to going into fact-finding proceedings with a state-appointed facilitator.