This year was marked by a strike at the county's second largest school district and the addition of several new educational leaders.

In the Seneca Valley School District, the 580-member teachers union went on strike Oct. 15 after working since June 2006 under an expired contract.

State law forced teachers back into classrooms Nov. 16 so 180 instructional days could be logged by June 15.

Teachers orchestrated the work stoppage after nearly 16 months of negotiations with the district failed to produce a new contract. The two sides remain at odds over salaries and health care benefits.

A state-appointed fact-finder was brought in over the summer at the district's request, although both sides rejected his report in August.

A nonbinding arbitration hearing is scheduled for Feb. 29.

The district also faces two unfair labor practice charges filed by the union in relation to the strike.

One charge stems from a district threat to reduce wages by one day for each day missed due to a work stoppage.

The union also claims a new school calendar adopted by the district following the strike is illegal because it extends beyond June 15. A hearing before the state Labor Relations Board is scheduled for Jan. 23.

There were changes in other districts as South Butler, Slippery Rock, Allegheny-Clarion Valley and Freeport school districts named new superintendents.

James O'Toole left South Butler's top spot to take the same position at Upper St. Clair. Frank Prazenica Jr. was hired in March to fill the spot temporarily, then started the permanent position in July.

Both Slippery Rock Superintendent Lee Beaton and A-C Valley Superintendent Pat Lukasavich retired at the end of the 2006-07 school year. Kathy Nogay was named to fill Beaton's spot and Brenda Brinker took Lukasavich's.

Freeport named Stan Chapp, who had been acting superintendent, to the permanent position in May.

The Midwestern Intermediate Unit in Grove City also got a new leader after Angelo Pezzuolo retired. In June, Cecilia Yauger was tapped as the unit's executive director.

After Butler County Community College President Cynthia Azari announced she was leaving the college to take a job in California June 7, the BC3 board of trustees picked chief academic officer Nick Neupauer to take the reins June 21.