In anticipation of the South Butler School District teachers going on strike Thursday, the district is canceling classes.

All schools in the South Butler School District will be closed to students starting Thursday, superintendent David Foley announced in a letter to parents Friday.

“The Board of School Directors recognizes the disruption and inconvenience that would be caused by a strike, and hopes that an agreement can be reached in an expedient manner,” Foley wrote in the letter.

If an agreement is reached, school could resume as early as Friday, the letter said.

The district will continue to provide transportation for students in the district who take classes at Butler County Vocational Technical School and for students enrolled in private or alternative schools.

Athletic practices and games will not be canceled, though the status of other extracurricular events will be reviewed by school principals.

The administration will reschedule special events and activities and announce make up days later, the letter said.

Parents were encouraged to check the news media and southbutler.org for updates on the strike and negotiations.

The South Butler County Education Association announced on March 1 that the teachers will strike at the beginning of the workday Thursday if an agreement on a new contract is not reached.

The district's 168 teachers have been working under terms of a contract that expired in 2014. They are seeking a seven-year contract retroactive to the expiration of the last contract, according to union negotiator Brooke Witt of UniServ.

After the strike notice, the district and union representatives held a six-hour negotiating session Wednesday, according to an update from the district's website. The two sides exchanged formal proposals and informal counterproposals.

More bargaining sessions are scheduled for Monday night and Tuesday night.

According to state law, if a strike threatens the school's ability to complete 180 days of school by June 30, the state secretary of education can ask a court to prohibit the strike.

A South Butler school board meeting set for Wednesday night has been rescheduled for 7 p.m. March 21 in the South Butler Primary School cafeteria, because district officials may need to meet for more negotiations Wednesday.