Solas Praises D-R School Superintendent

Rehoboth Selectman George Solas praised Dighton-Rehoboth School Superintendent Bill Runey for his leadership abilities.

Solas noted the decrease in student population at Monday’s meeting.

“We have students that are going to private schools, trade schools, (Runey) is trying to reestablish our trade courses,” Solas said, noting the decrease in students attending the high school has dropped from 1000 in 2010 to around 600 presently.

“He’s facing budgetary restraints as well as being creative and building the reputation that many people remember D-R being,” Solas added. “He inherited a mess and he’s fixing it.”

Runey introduced a preliminary FY’25 budget of $52,098,192 at the February 27 school committee meeting. Changes to staffing and resources are now being discussed internally.

“The imminent expiration of the ESSER/COVID grants casts a looming shadow over the District's financial stability,” Runey explained in a letter to parents. “These grants have been a vital lifeline, offering crucial support in navigating the challenges imposed by the pandemic. Their expiration signals the end of an era of supplementary funding, leaving the District to grapple with the burden of maintaining essential services and programs without critical financial aid that has ranged from an additional 1.9 percent to 2.5 percent above our annual budgetary increases.”