The Stoughton Public Schools School Committee voted 4-1 on April 1 to ratify a contract offering Stoughton High School Principal Julie Miller the position of superintendent, effective July 1, 2026.

The committee said the appointment follows a succession-planning process that began in January after Superintendent Dr. Bade announced his intent to retire effective June 30, 2026. Committee members said Miller would remain high school principal during the 2025–26 school year while finding a replacement and would take part in the Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents’ New Superintendent Induction Program (NSIP) as part of on-the-job training.

School committee members described a multi-step process. Committee materials and remarks at the April 1 meeting said the panel created a succession working group, developed selection criteria and behavioral interview questions, publicly interviewed Principal Julie Miller in late February, and on March 4 voted unanimously to appoint her pending successful contract negotiations.

"She's been very solutions oriented, reasonable, and committed to what's best for students throughout the process," School committee member Lindsay said during the meeting, describing the candidate and the negotiation process. Committee members thanked committee negotiators and the district attorney, naming Joe Emerson, for their work on contract language.

Committee discussion at the April 1 meeting focused on the timeline, the content of the contract and transition planning for the high school principal role. One committee member, Karen, opposed the contract on financial grounds, saying, "I believe this contract is overinflated. I don't think it's good for the taxpayers and my vote is absolutely not. We should have had more discussion on the financial side of it." The committee chair responded that members had reviewed the document in executive session and that negotiators had vetted the agreement.

The ratification motion was moved by committee member Chris; a second was recorded but the seconder's name was not specified in the meeting record. The motion carried 4 to 1. The committee said it will introduce Miller as superintendent-elect at the next school committee meeting on April 15. The meeting record also noted the town election on April 8.

No ordinance, statute, or other legal citation was cited during the public discussion. Committee members described the contract as having been reviewed by district counsel and negotiated by an assigned working group; details of the contract's financial terms were discussed in closed session and summarized by committee members at the meeting but specific dollar amounts were not read into the public record during the April 1 discussion.

The committee characterized the process as intentionally collaborative and intended to create a documented succession process for future committees. Committee members said Miller's NSIP participation and the plan for her to remain at the high school for 2025–26 are designed to provide overlap and training before she assumes the superintendent role on July 1, 2026.