Dighton-Rehoboth Deadlocks on PARC Test, Creates New Athletic-Academic Post

REHOBOTH -- June 24, 2014, Dighton-Rehoboth School Committee deadlocked 4-4 on adopting the PARC assessment, leaving the district on MCAS by default for 2014-2015. The committee then voted 6-4 to create a new "Dean of Academic and Athletic Programs" position at the high school, combining a vacant director of guidance role with the existing part-time athletic director into a single full-time post estimated to save $52,000; four members, including David Katzen and Chris Raposa, argued the role mixed incompatible functions and that a technology director was a more urgent need. The board authorized up to $5,000 with Mars Consulting Group and the Abrams Group to begin a preliminary analysis of the district's regional agreement ahead of an August 26 presentation, after rejecting the full $10,000 proposal as premature. Robert McGuire, a retired Norwood town treasurer, was hired and appointed as district treasurer for fiscal year 2015. All five school handbooks for 2014-2015 were approved, and a special meeting was scheduled for July 16 to resolve remaining high school staffing questions before fall athletic preseason begins.