Lauren Mawhinney, president of the Ambridge Area Education Association said this morning  that teachers are optimistically hopeful that  there will be a fair settlement  when they meet with the school board on December 12. Beaver County Radio News Correspondent Sandy Giordano reports that the teachers have been without a contract since   January 2015. Mrs. Mawhinney said the 2 sided began negotiating  in June 2015, and both sides rejected the arbitrator’s decision. If no settlement is reached on December 12, the teachers will begin striking December 13, 2016.