Panther Valley teachers, without a contract since summer of 2015, have announced their intention to strike in May, according to administrators.

If the strike takes place, PV would be the second union to take action this year. Palmerton is currently in the second week of a teacher strike.The Panther Valley Education Association issued a strike notice for the date of May 22, 2017, superintendent Dennis Kergick said in a statement. He said the district announced the strike notice in the interest of transparency and open communication between the district, students, and their families."It is our obligation to let everyone know that delaying the end of the school term would impact our students and their families," the statement read.With the last day of school for students currently scheduled for June 6, the strike could affect families' plans for the first two weeks of summer vacation.Under state law, school districts are required to hold 180 days of school each year, regardless of a labor stoppage.PVEA officials were not immediately available Friday afternoon.The strike notice came after a negotiating session on Wednesday, Kergick said, but the two sides have been negotiating since 2014.Kergick said that Wednesday's negotiating session was approximately three hours long and was productive."Both sides were listening. But ultimately we could not reach an agreement on salary and health care issues," he said.He declined to elaborate on the issues.The teachers are still working under a contract that expired in August 2015.That four-year contract was approved in 2013, however it was retroactive to 2011.In that case the teachers' union worked for about 18 months without a contract. Negotiators credited a fact-finder from the state's Labor Relations Board for helping set up the framework of an agreement.The teachers released a statement Friday afternoon."Despite the expiration of their contract in August of 2015, teachers in the Panther Valley Area School District continued to work in their classrooms, and will continue to do so until the strike date is reached," the statement said.Kergick said that he thought it was unusual for the union to submit a strike notice roughly four months in advance. But he said it gives both sides plenty of time to negotiate a solution."That's a lot of time, a lot of things can happen," Kergick said.Terance Bonner, PVEA president, said the teachers wanted to provide the Panther Valley community with ample time to prepare for a possible teachers' strike."We feel fortunate to teach in a close-knit community with families and students that value education. We are dedicated to moving forward and working cooperatively with the district to resolve the current contract negotiations," said Bonner."Our goal is, and has always been, to make Panther Valley the best educational institution it can be and we remain dedicated to both our students and the community."Bonner added, "Our teachers are committed to reaching a settlement that is fair, reasonable and affordable to the community. We hope that the school board shares this commitment."So far, a fact-finder has not been appointed to assist with the negotiations, but both sides have that option.The district's labor attorney is Ellis H. Katz of Sweet, Stevens, Katz and Williams LLP.That is the same firm representing the Palmerton Area School District.