BRISTOL — The first day of school is less than a week away, but the Bristol Warren Regional School District and the local teachers union have yet to agree to a new contract.

The 302 teachers in the Bristol Warren Education Association are set to report back for orientation Monday, and school starts Wednesday. The union’s three-year contract with the district expires four days later, on Aug. 31.

The last negotiating session took place Wednesday night, and although district officials said the two-hour meeting was amicable, it didn’t result in an agreement. Despite the time crunch, the two sides aren’t set to meet again until Sept. 3.

Supt. Edward P. Mara said the current contract will automatically stay in place until a new pact is reached. He is confident there won’t be any strike or other work stoppage.

“I think that’s not a route our teachers would take,” he said yesterday. “I think they’re extremely professional.”

He said that negotiators for both sides were working hard to find common ground, though progress has been slow.

“Things are moving,” he said. “People are trying to be reasonable on both sides.”

School Committee member Paul Silva, who is representing the district in the talks along with Mara and others, said the two sides have had disagreements but the relationship has been far from contentious.

“There’s been nothing by way of threats,” he said.

Wednesday’s meeting led to the resolution of some issues, but others are still outstanding, Silva said. He would not specify what matters had been discussed except to describe them as broadly related to salaries and benefits.

Under the current contract, agreed to in 2005, teachers were given a 4-percent salary increase in the 2005-06 academic year, a 3-percent increase in 2006-07, and a 3.25-percent increase this year.

The contract also required a gradual increase in each union member’s contribution to health insurance, with each teacher now paying 10 percent of their premiums.

Bristol Warren Education Association president Linda LaClair could not be reached yesterday for comment.

akuffner@projo.com