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District reports strong start to school year; staffing and major projects update
Summary
Superintendent Dr. Joseph Baeta and staff reported a successful opening, near-complete staffing levels, building projects under way and several operational items including a redistricting committee, absenteeism workgroup and upcoming labor negotiations.
Superintendent Dr. Joseph Baeta told the Stoughton School Committee on Sept. 23 that the district had a “very successful start” to the 2025–26 school year and reported near-full staffing across departments.
The superintendent said custodial, food-service and administrative teams, along with principals and teachers, contributed to a smooth opening. He reported one family situation involving immigration enforcement that did not occur on school property and said the district was working to support the student involved.
Facilities and projects: Baeta provided project updates: a playground replacement at Hansen School is expected to finish later in the month, HVAC upgrades at Gibbons School and DAW are complete, and the district installed an accessible swing set at Gibbons earlier in the year.
Staffing and HR: Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources reported the district achieved a near-100% fill rate for most positions at the start of the year, including full staffing at Stoughton High School by the first day. The district did not need its usual summer hiring fair because candidate pools were strong.
New leadership hires: The HR report introduced three new administrators — Anthony Freeman (dean, OMS), Elizabeth Duprey (assistant director, EL services) and Robert (Bob) Motta (assistant director of special education) — described as experienced hires filling existing positions.
Grants and budgets: Miller and Baeta said the superintendent-elect would review current grants and meet with the business office and curriculum leaders to understand grant funding, capacity and new opportunities. The district’s FY'26 budget templates were due this week; work on redistricting and absenteeism continues.
Community engagement: The district is planning community forums during the transition year to introduce the superintendent-elect, review roles and gather feedback; some sessions will be virtual and others in person.
Ending: The committee heard the updates before moving on to transition planning, policy items and personnel actions.
