Teacher-Contract Talks Set to Start

Contract negotiations with Barrington’s teachers are expected to begin within a few days.

Superintendent Michael Messore told the School Committee Thursday evening, Jan. 17, that the first session is being scheduled for next week. Subsequent sessions with National Education Association Barrington will be scheduled in February.

The School Committee also finalized its negotiating team last evening. It will stay at two members: Ron Tarro, director of administration and finance, who has been on the negotiating team for the last few contracts, and Benjamin Scungio of the law firm, Brennan, Recupero, Cascione, Scungio and McAllister of Providence.

Scungio is filling in for the superintendent, who has recused himself from the team because he is married to a Barrington High School teacher. This is the first time that a Barrington superintendent has not been involved in negotiating a contract for teachers. 

A School Committee member was not made a part of the team. There was an indication a few weeks ago from former School Committee chairman Patrick Guida, who still sits on the board, that one or more board members might join the negotiating team.

Guida said Thursday night that observors of the process should be assured that there will be constant communication and interaction between the negotiating team and the School Committee even without a member of the board serving on the team.

“They will be given our charge,” Guida said. “And it is the School Committee that is ultimately responsible for the contract.”