JEFFERSON TWP - Despite talk to the contrary, the homecoming football game and dance at Knoch High School has not been canceled.

Word among students had spread this week that the homecoming dance was canceled due to fears of a teacher strike and a special dance would be held instead this Friday.

According to South Butler School District spokesman Todd O'Shell, the homecoming football game and dance is scheduled for Sept. 10.

O'Shell said there is no special dance this Friday.

However, homecoming will be done a little differently this year, O'Shell said. Instead of a formal affair, students will have a casual dance following the football game, O'Shell said.

"There will still be all the traditional homecoming stuff," O'Shell said. "There will be a queen and a dance."

In addition to homecoming, a more formal winter dance is planned for later in the year, O'Shell said, which is the reason for the change in how the homecoming dance is being done.

O'Shell said school officials did not want to see two formal dances being held so close together.

The district has been negotiating a new contract with its teachers for more than 15 months. Teachers have not called a strike, but in June they voted to authorize their negotiators to call a strike.

Teachers last week voted down another contract offer presented by the school board.

No new negotiation sessions have been set, but O'Shell said he expects something to be scheduled before the end of this week.