Superintendent Philip Thornton’s goal of wrapping up a teacher contract by the end of the academic year, if not sooner, seems to be turning into a pipe dream, although he has no intention of giving up and, in fact, reiterates his invitation to the union to meet at any time.

As it happens, the two will meet quite a lot in the upcoming month. Mediation sessions have been scheduled for March 4, 8, 23 and 29, Thornton said last week. He said he had pushed to get more sessions in during February, but that didn’t work out as Bob Casey, the union’s mediator, was not available.

“We’ll meet more often than that, any date we’ll take,” Thornton said.

“Our position is to do this as quickly as possible,” he added.

But it hasn’t moved quickly.

Of the 10 issues the School Committee identified, only one – grading – has been presented with both sides giving testimony before neutral arbitrator Michael Ryan. Thornton said the union argued to maintain the current practice.

The committee is looking to using a computer grading system that Thornton called the “norm in the country.”

Warwick Teachers Union President George Landrie said grading had been discussed, but he didn’t want to get into the particulars of the union’s positions.

“We’ve not looking to negotiate through the media,” he said.

Landrie doesn’t see a rapid conclusion to mediation. He said the last time the committee and the union entered into mediation, sessions dragged on for more than 18 months, and it wasn’t until negotiations resumed that a contract was reached.

“It’s a process,” he said, “we’ll keep attending.” He added, “There’s nothing prohibiting them from negotiating.”

And how might that happen?

“We need people to buy in. Three members of the School Committee to buy in,” he said.

Thornton hoped provisions of the mediation statute would expedite the process. Under the law, the sides are to present their testimony within 20 days. The neutral arbitrator is given another 10 days to render findings. Although findings that have financial implications are non-binding, Thornton points out they become public and it is his feeling that would speed a settlement. Now it is looking as though the mediation will take far longer than Thornton ever imagined.

Grading could be one of the easier issues, too.

On the horizon are weighting, job fair, common planning time, benefits and layoffs, among other issues.

The committee is looking to eliminate the provision under the contract that expired last fall that “weights” those students with an individualized education program (IEP) as more than one student when determining class size. Teachers and some parents fear eliminating the provision would result in larger classes and hurt those students needing special attention. The committee’s argument is that these special needs students would be better integrated into the system and that they won’t suffer, as the district must adhere to the IEP. Eliminating weighting, school administrators reason, would give greater flexibility. It is also seen as reducing the number of teachers.

As for the job fair, Thornton said the current practice of using seniority is not in compliance with basic education program regulations set by the Board of Regents for Elementary and Secondary Education.

Of the issues, layoffs promises to be highly contentious. Under the former contract, the committee was limited to notifying 40 teachers of the potential of being laid off and limiting the actual number to 20. With consolidation and the closure of a junior high school and a senior high school, thus giving the city two junior and senior high schools, Thornton has projected a reduction in 47 personnel for a savings of about $5 million. He would use those savings to cover the additional busing costs associated with consolidation and added costs of a teacher contract.

Although the contract is far from settled and chances are slim that mediation could be concluded by drafting of the budget, Thornton is moving ahead with his school reorganization plan. That means the budget calls for the reduction in personnel and plans on the closure of Aldrich and Gorton Junior High Schools and the re-purposing of Vets High as a junior high school.

What then happens if a contract can’t be reached by the spring when teachers need to be notified they are being laid off?

“It [the budget] is based on closing the schools we need to close,” answered Thornton. “To me, that is the financially responsible thing to do.”

Landrie was asked how the union would react if more than the 20-teacher maximum set in the last contract were laid off.

“We’re abiding by the terms and conditions of the contract,” he replied.

Reminded that the contract expired last fall, Landrie repeated himself.