Rapid City Area Schools will continue its negotiations with teachers for the current school year during a mediation session with the Rapid City Education Association.

A state mediator from the South Dakota Department of Labor will visit the district Jan. 14, according to school district human resources director Steve Hengen.

The paraprofessionals’ negotiating team has not settled on contracts, and the administrators’ group has not started negotiations. The administrators asked the labor department to create a separate negotiating unit for them, but that request was denied. They appealed the decision and are awaiting a judge’s decision.

Negotiations for all bargaining groups for the 2010-2011 year are expected to begin soon after the Jan. 14 mediation session with the teachers.