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.