The Penn Hills School District will soon send furlough notices to 64 of its 417 teachers for the upcoming school year.

The district is required by its contract with the Penn Hills Education Association, its teachers' union, to communicate plans for major staff changes by March 15 for union review. Furlough notices must be sent by April 1.

The "more than usual" number of teachers under consideration for furlough is related to an enrollment decline expected for the next school year, said Business Manager Richard Liberto.

The district, which has a student population of about 4,500, has been losing 100 to 200 students per year since 2003. In the current school year, enrollment is down by about 400 students from the previous year.

Other factors in the district's plan to furlough teachers for next school year are the closing of Dible Elementary School and the reassignment of its students to Penn Hebron Elementary; the moving of fifth-graders from Penn Hebron to Linton Middle School; and the moving of ninth-graders from Linton Middle School to the high school.

Next year's reassignment of students is the next step in the district-wide building plan, which will consolidate students from six current buildings to just three buildings beginning in fall 2012. A new high school and elementary center will be built. Linton will be renovated.

As was the case with teacher furloughs that were announced in 2008 and 2009, district officials expect to recall many of the teachers once retirements and resignations are finalized over the summer.

In 2008, 34 teachers were furloughed and 25 called back. In 2009, 10 teachers were furloughed and five called back.

In any given year, natural attrition from the teaching staff is 10 to 15 percent, Mr. Liberto said. If the trend holds, about 40 to 60 resignations and retirements will occur in 2010.

Even with furloughs, the district will maintain class sizes of 25 or under, Mr. Liberto added.

Ryan Osorio, president of the PHEA, challenged that prediction, as did several teachers who spoke strongly at Monday's school board meeting.

"I don't see how it's possible," Mr. Osorio said.

News of the large number of expected layoffs has intensified what has been a contentious school year for the school district and its teachers, who have been working without a contract since Aug. 31.

Protracted negotiations and a brief strike in February have led both parties to request fact-finding from the Pennsylvania Labor Relations Board. The labor board will review the request on Tuesday. A neutral third party will issue non-binding recommendations within 40 days.

In other news, the district has announced make-up dates for school days that were canceled because of snow. Unless the state grants a make-up day waiver to the district, school will be in session on the following dates: April 2 and 5, May 18, and June 14, 15 and 16.

Graduation will be on June 16.

Looking for more from the Post-Gazette? Join PG+, our members-only web site. You'll get exclusive sports content, opinion, financial information, discounts from retailers and restaurants, and more. Our introduction to PG+ gives you all the details.