Following a brief strike in early February, contract talks were to resume at 6 p.m. yesterday between the Penn Hills School District and the union representing its 417 teachers.

The teachers have been working without a contract since the previous one expired on Aug. 31.

Both sides were to bring new proposals to the table, said Ryan Osorio, president of the Penn Hills Education Association, the teachers union.

Before the Feb. 4 strike, the union rejected two recent offers from the district: a five-year contract with raises that would graduate to 3 percent in the fifth year, and a three-year contract with raises that would graduate to 3.5 percent in year three. Both previous offers include increases in contribution to health care premiums.

At Tuesday's school board workshop meeting, parents complained that negativity on both sides of the contract talks, as well as from some parents, was exacerbating the contract impasse and affecting students. Postings on websites and Facebook are a particular problem, they said.

Parent Dorene Robinson criticized the district for using its electronic sign on Frankstown Road to undermine picketing teachers on the first day of the strike. The message read, "If you honk, it's for higher taxes."

Her reprimand prompted school board President Joseph Bailey to apologize for the message, which remained on the sign for 12 hours on Feb. 4.

Mr. Bailey said the message was authorized by the district's negotiating committee, but that the full school board was not aware of the decision.

In addition to Mr. Bailey, the negotiating committee is made up of business manager Richard Liberto, school board member John Zacchia and professional negotiator Bruce Campbell.

"It shouldn't have been done," Mr. Bailey said. "We were feeling frustrated."

On Friday, teachers canceled their participation in the annual PTA Volleyball Tournament, which supports scholarships for high school seniors. In lieu of participating, teachers donated $1,000 to the scholarship fund. The tournament, which usually nets about $2,500, is unlikely to be rescheduled, said parent Kathy Wolf.

Teachers at Penn Hebron Elementary asked PTA president Christine Polaski to resign following comments attributed to her in a Feb. 2 newspaper article. Mr. Osorio said that situation "has been rectified" and that Ms. Polaski remained in office.

School board members Bob Hudak and Don Kuhn expressed concern about the message posted on the school district sign.

"We did not know or approve it," said Mr. Kuhn.

"Both sides have to work together," said Mr. Hudak, a former Penn Hills teacher. "It's a give and take. You have to create an environment of common courtesy."

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