Stoneham School Committee Ratifies Custodians Contract, Exits Girls Hockey Co-op With Wilmington

STONEHAM -- August 14, 2025, Stoneham School Committee ratifies custodian contract and votes to exit girls hockey co-op as new superintendent warns of district-wide staffing crisis. The committee unanimously ratified a two-year collective bargaining agreement with Local 1139, the Stoneham School Custodians, running July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2027, and voted to leave its six-year girls ice hockey co-op with Wilmington, conditioned on Wilmington finding a new partner, a move backed by Athletic Director Dave Pignoni, who projected a combined roster of 31 players would create locker room and ice-time problems this season. Director of Finance Lisa Secor reported the district closed a $590,000 fiscal year 2025 budget gap through $340,000 in electricity-to-food-service transfers and a $250,000 draw from an after-school revolving account. Superintendent Dr. Elaine DeFrancisco, in her first formal update to the committee, reported open positions at every school, 26 unfilled in total, with candidates accepting jobs and then withdrawing for higher-paying offers elsewhere: "We've said hello and goodbye to a lot of people we were hoping to come and join our staff." DeFrancisco is scheduled to present the budget impact on schools to the Override Committee on August 20.