Teachers bargain with Christmas vacation

UPDATE: Proposal rejected

According to several sources, including the union's site (pdf), the teachers would like the board to negotiate this weekend without either side's hired guns. If so, the teachers would go back to work Friday saving strike days from next week that could be used as Christmas vacation days.

Here's KDKA's take:

A new proposal in the Seneca Valley School District could have teachers and students returning to the classroom as early as Friday morning.

Officials with the teachers' union say they are willing to continue the negotiations with the district as long as mediators are not present.

In a letter to the teachers' union earlier this week, the School Board agreed to weekend-long negotiating sessions as long as the teachers return to class this Friday.

Officials say that if the teachers agree to the proposal, the students would still get a holiday vacation, but if the strike continues it will have to be canceled.

If the strike goes on, it can continue until November 15th when teachers will be required to go back in order to get 180 days of classroom instruction.

A final answer to the proposal could come in around 9 a.m. The teachers have been on strike since October 15th.