The Wayne-Westland School Board meeting Monday will be moved Monday to the Wayne-Westland Schools Educational Center on Marquette Road. The meeting will begin at 7 p.m.

Meanwhile, the Wayne-Westland school district and teachers' union agreed Friday to a 90-day contract extension.

The two sides agreed to have a fact-finder review claims and will each make a presentation in November. The fact-finder's report is expected to be done by the end of the year.

School administrators and teachers’ union leaders met in the offices of the Michigan Employment Relations Commission this past week, who has now taken an active role in the bargaining.

Classes for 13,000 kindergarten through 12th-grade students in the Wayne-Westland school district resumed last Friday after a Wayne County judge ordered striking teachers back to work -- four days after the teachers began picketing outside schools.

Several hundreds of students protested outside Westland John Glenn High School Friday morning supporting teachers.

Judge Kathleen MacDonald granted a request Thursday by the school district that forced the teachers union to return to work. MacDonald also ruled that the more than 800 striking teachers will not face disciplinary actions.

The district accuses the union of violating Michigan's ban on teacher strikes. State law allows districts to fine teachers a day's pay for each day they're on strike and possibly fire them.

A school district representative said it may file an appeal on the judge's decision not to implement disciplinary actions against the teachers.

"Let's face it, this is an illegal action," said Skip Monit, school board vice president. "How can we face our students and tell them that something illegal has happened and there won't be consequences."

"It could have been anywhere from a letter in their file all the way up to termination," said teachers union President Nancy Strachan. "So we are very pleased with that."

The district and teachers have been meeting daily to work on contract settlements and talks continued Thursday evening.

"The teachers want to get back to schools," said Strachan.

The teachers will resume working under the previous contractual agreement.

The district and the teachers have been in negotiations for nearly 2 months. The teachers’ contract expired on Aug. 26 and they have been working under several extensions.

Teachers cited health care and large class sizes are preventing them from signing new contracts.

"We do want to get everyone back to school and work on a fair and equitable contract," said Monit.

A state judge ruled on Tuesday afternoon the district violated state law in how it negotiated by striking teachers stating the school administration failed to bargain in good faith. The district denies that allegation. The judge also ordered the district to turn over records to the teacher's union.

Classes Canceled Amid District-Teacher Negotiations

The teachers’ union released a statement Sunday night advising parents to “make day-care arrangements for Monday, Oct. 6.” However, the district said the school would be in session.

“Teachers began picketing well before their scheduled starting time today (Monday). As students arrived to school it became apparent that teachers were not going to report for work, forcing the District to implement its emergency school-closing procedures,” the district said in a statement.

The teachers would like to extend their current contracts for one year, with the exception of smaller class sizes.

An economist for the union said classroom size remains a serious issue. "One girl said today there were 44 students in her classroom. We want to reduce that by nine,” said Ruth Beier, the economist.

Teachers Union Speaks Out About Contract Issues

The District’s most recent proposal to the teachers’ union can be found on the District’s Web site at www.wwcsd.net