POLAND – Nearly six months after their contract expired, school support staff are going to mediation with Poland officials.

The Education Association of Poland and officials have negotiated since spring for a new contract to cover more than a dozen Poland Community School and Bruce M. Whittier Middle School teaching assistants, secretaries, cafeteria workers, nurses and nursing assistants. The three-year contract expired June 30 when the two sides couldn’t come to an agreement.

Six months later, they have called in a mediator to help.

“Everybody is hopeful we will settle things as soon as we can, both for the people under the contract and for the community” said Lee Libby, chief negotiator for the Education Association.

Because they are still embroiled in private talks, representatives from the school system and the union would not say which issues were causing contention.

Both sides said they hope to start mediation by the beginning of the new year.

Although support staff members have been working without a contract, Assistant Superintendent William Doughty said, the school system has abided by most of the provisions in the old agreement. During negotiations, however, support staffers have not received raises based on increased experience and education.

As they start mediation for support staff, the Education Association and school officials continue contract negotiations for more than 30 elementary and middle school teachers. Those negotiations also started in spring, but the two sides could not reach an agreement by the time that contract expired Aug. 31.