Dighton-Rehoboth Regional Schools

Dear DR Community,

March is here!

Today is Employee Appreciation Day, and I'd like to take a moment to recognize all of our hard-working staff across the District. Hopefully February break provided a much needed opportunity for eveyone to relax and reset as we head into a new month. March also ushers in spring with more sunlight and warmer temperatures.This month is Women's History Month and Music in Our Schools Month. We have outstanding female staff members, and we are looking forward to some inspirational musical sounds from our schools.

Together ... We Are DR!

Take care,

Bill

I daresay there are any of us who have not been significantly impacted by inflation in our country. Our schools and towns have been impacted as well. While we are in the midst of Budget season, I want to share the stark realities with you in an effort to be transparent. There are three major hurdles that we are faced with to build the FY25 budget:

1. ESSER grants (Covid relief funds) are expiring this year. This funding has added nearly 2% to our annual budget since 2022. Losing roughly $2M in funds is a significant setback.

2. We are facing another spike in special education costs. Last year, the state raised out-of-district costs for special education students by 14%, and the two-year increase is approaching 20%. Additionally, we have more students receiving these services. The proposed FY25 budget is over 25% special education. This is money well-spent for these students, but a near 20% increase impacts other parts of the budget.

3. The most impactful is the Governor’s budget. We have added students this year, yet the state is giving us about $70,000 less than the previous year. This is unconscionable to me considering inflation has been significant in the last 2 years. Reports attribute this to nearly $250M less in tax income that the state anticipated receiving. While budgeting isn’t an exact science, the state’s miscalculation is impacting school districts.

These budget restrictions will impact staffing, programming, and resources. Please stay tuned for ways that we can contact our local legislators in hopes that they will support increases in educational aid when they convene to approve the state's budget later this Spring. More details may be found here.

On Tuesday, the Assistant Principals presented our progress during the Superintendent's Presentation to the School Committee. We’re DRiving Toward 2030 and ensuring that our schools continue to excel through innovation and hard work. You won't want to miss the latest update, please click here to review the slideshow.

As I shared at School Committee on Tuesday night, our (current) last days are Friday, June 21 for elementaries and middles and Thursday, June 20 for our high school.

Both June 20 and June 21 will be Early Release days for students. We continue to update our academic calendar for the 2023-2024 school year. Please take a moment to view it by clicking on this link.

As you'll see in the photos below, the CTE Carpentry program is delivering top-notch dugouts for our softball and baseball fields. I take pride in what the CTE programs are accomplishing. In fact, I had an oil and filter change, tire plug, and repaired wiper fluid reservoir done for under $60 today. Our Auto Shop is open to the public and does great work! Call the High School for an appointment.

On Monday, February 12, Dr, DiGioia had the pleasure of welcoming families to an evening event where she introduced the Special Education Procedural Handbook. Read more about this event HERE.

The Dighton-Rehoboth Regional School District is pleased to introduce our new Middle School Special Education Coordinator, Katy Sleczkowski, who will be joining our team on March 18. Ms. Sleczkowski brings a wealth of experience and a passion for education to our district. We are happy to welcome her to DR.

The District Reading Tour organized by the DR MERITS Academy fosters inclusive learning environments by providing students with disabilities aged 18-22 an opportunity to engage with younger students with special needs through shared reading experiences, promoting empathy, communication skills, and community integration. The Academy students select books from the local library and then travel to the specialized programs throughout the district to read aloud to the students. It has been a great experience for all the students involved!