South Butler teachers strike in front of Knoch High School on Thursday. The district's 168 teachers hit the chilly picket line in the morning after a last-ditch negotiating session failed on Wednesday night.

JEFFERSON TWP — A picket line took shape late Thursday morning on the northern and eastern sides of the Knoch secondary campus, as 168 teachers bundled up and took a stand in their quest for a new contract.

The South Butler School District teachers, who have worked for almost four years without a contract, followed through on their threat to leave the classroom on March 15 if no new deal was in place.

The teachers packed the Saxonburg VFW hall on Thursday morning and didn't emerge until about 11:15 a.m. to cross Dinnerbell Road and walk the picket line on the school grounds along Dinnerbell and Knoch roads.

Superintendent David Foley had previously canceled school for all South Butler students in case a strike occurred, so no students were on campus when the strike began.

Brooke Witt, the Uniserv negotiator for the teachers, said they would picket during the mornings only until the date chosen by the state Department of Education when teachers must return to the classrooms.

Witt, in an impromptu news conference at the strike, refuted district solicitor Tom Breth's recent claims that the teachers offered no proposals to the district when asked.

She said an offer was given to Breth through the state mediator at Wednesday night's last-ditch negotiating session, along with an offer to negotiate based on the proposal.

“They declined,” Witt said of the district's response.Witt said although they have not seen a pay increase in four years, the teachers were hopeful that they could break what they call a “strike culture” at South Butler. The district has now seen five teacher strikes since 1978, Witt said.“We're looking to find a win-win for both parties,” she said.No new negotiating sessions had been scheduled as of Thursday.The teachers tread the grass in groups, holding signs that read “Make SBCSD Great Again,” “Teachers Care, Join Us” and “We Deserve a Fair Contract.”A rally held on Wednesday evening by the South Butler School Action Committee at the primary school saw 100 people turn out to show support for the teachers.Although a handful of lengthy bargaining sessions have been held since the teachers in late February announced their intention to strike, the stalemate has continued.Students in the district must have 180 days of school by June 15, so the Department of Education will calculate a date when the teachers must end the strike and return to the classroom.Breth said on Wednesday night that the date would likely be right before or after Easter.According to state Act 88, both sides will then give a final, best offer to a three-person arbitration panel, which will hold a hearing to get both sides' arguments. The panel will then determine a contract, which both sides would vote on.If either side rejects the panel's proposed contract, they go back to the bargaining table.

South Butler School District teacher salariesFollowing are the salaries of the South Butler School District teachers who went on strike Thursday:Achezinski, Megan, $42,000Adams, Jeanette, $75,570Aiken, Julie, $45,884Allison, Maria, $43,700Amendola, Justin, $45,338Andreassi, Christopher, $73,000Archer, Janine, $57,990Babb, Ian, $51,949Babcock, Jean, $63,002Barnhart, Amber, $43,700Baylor, Amy, $43,700Beale, Cary, $42,546Blum, Damian, $47,187Bocci, Amy, $67,054Bouchat, Merle, $21,850Brahler, Wesson, $65,591Bronder, Jennifer, $55,802Brucker, Brenda, $73,515Brumbaugh, Shaun, $73,000Brutt, Angela, $43,700Buchan, Heather, $46,188Burgard, Lauren, $45,338Buterbaugh, Samantha, $48,844Butler, Garett, $50,288Callender, Lisa, $75,570Campbell, Casey, $46,430Carl, Gregory, $69,777Carney, Stephen, $46,158Carto, Amy, $42,000Cecchetti, Daniele, $43,700Chybrzynski, Denise, $48,130Cimini, Kathleen, $66,080Clarke, Barb, $58,651Copeland, Sharilyn, $69,030Cornetti, Dennis, $73,000Cratty, Sara, $45,691Criner, Pamela, $47,584Davies, Christine, $75,570Dills, Patricia, $56,278DiPasquale, Kelly, $73,000Durand, Todd, $73,000Evanchec, Jackie, $47,319Evans, Michele, $64,582Fondi, Christine, $73,000French, Jennfier, $55,031Frishkorn, Samuel, $67,019Fuhrman, Rebecca, $67,952Gall, Heidi, $68,455Garia, Caryn, $67,775Gaston, Laura, $42,000Gavel, John, $45,338Geibel, Bree, $56,156Geist, Diane, $73,000Goldinger, Jeff, $68,455Gourley, Melinda, $44,581Graham, Allyson, $42,000Grantz, Melissa, $46,861Gumbosky, Alma, $53,788Gurrera, Susan, $48,130Hall, David, $75,570Hall, Susan, $60,351Hanner, Bethany, $46,273Haverstick, Stephanie, $45,619Hawks, Denise, $59,381Hayden, Ricardo, $45,303Hess, Lisa, $77,270Hilscher, Janelle, $42,000Hoffmann, Thomas, $66,755Holl, Marcia, $75,570Hooks, Alan, $73,000Hull, Hope, $43,700Hunka, Stephen, $73,000Jacobs, Jessica, $47,105Johnson, Joshua, $48,588Johnston, Alana, $42,000Johnston, Amy, $53,207Johnston, Kip, $73,000Kane, Jessica, $48,582Karns, Julia, $46,359Karwoski, Scott, $56,500Kernan, Christine, $45,125King, Michael, $76,420Knappenberger, Lisa, $72,069Kodrich, Julie, $50,249Lambert, KrisAnn, $53,471Lampus, Jamie, $62,212Leech, Marisa, $47,105Lemmon, Lauren, $42,000Lentz, Kellie, $55,317Limbacher, John, $71,494Love, Kristy, $75,570Markwell, Timothy, $73,000Massari, Amy, $45,884Mastrian-Helberg, Carley, $43,700McAnallen, Shawn, $61,182McCarthy, Shelly, $54,983McMillen, Kathy, $53,315McSwaney, Beth, $43,700Miller, Keith, $43,700Mohney, Misty, $43,700Morrison, Vanessa, $46,415Negley, Heston, $73,000Nesbitt, Julia, $76,400Nicklas, Julie, $47,280Nickles, Laurel, $57,662Norante, Kathleen, $77,270O'Brien, Johnathan, $43,700O'Donnell, Sean, $48,805Osche, Pamela, $60,351Pastoria, Brandi, $46,430Peratt, Lauren, $44,550Perry, Katie, $51,193Pflugh, Bradley, $62,882Prunty, Lisa, $61,596Ravotti, Susan, $43,638Rice, Rachel, $46,345Rodgers, Brent, $48,130Rowe, Jocelyn, $43,700Roxberry, Stacie, $61,907Rupert, Kelley, $77,270Rush, Elaine, $58,236Russell, Brent, $54,102Russell, Jessica, $50,192Sandorf, Cassandra, $43,700Savannah, Matthew, $45,803Schauer, Nichole, $21,000Schmeider, Sonya, $77,270Schnepp, Jennifer, $42,850Schnur, Curtis, $69,794Schuster, Patricia, $53,788Shaheen, Amanda, $57,394Sheptak, Marian, $52,840Shilling Schawl, Karen, $32,829Slater, Tracy, $52,540Smith, Zachary, $45,881Stein, Courtney, $43,700Stivenson, Stephanie, $43,638Swarmer, Kayla, $42,000Sypien, Mike, $48,588Taylor, Scott, $69,532Taylor, Tracy, $51,949Thompson, Kelley, $50,288Thrower, Jade, $43,700Tresky, Laurie, $79,140Venesky, Melissa, $66,937Voigt, Caitlin, $42,000Voltz, Jennifer, $43,700Voltz, Kathleen, $68,455Voltz, Robert, $64,262Wahl, Susan, $48,588Walters, Dennis, $53,788Walters, Jennifer, $42,000Wargo, Anne, $53,788West, Krista, $53,169White, Denee, $49,567Wiley, Ashley, $43,700Williams, Shannon, $47,584Woller, Jeffrey, $71,494Woller, Susan, $66,034Wood, Douglas, $73,000Zacherl, Christina, $60,033Zbrzezny, Jennifer, $64,582Zebrine, Michael, $61,175Zhang, Xiaojing, $47,584Zillweger, Stacy, $43,700SOURCE: South Butler School District and www.southbutler.org

Brooke Witt, Uniserv negotiator for the teachers, speaks as South Butler teachers man the picket line on Thursday.