Superintendent Bill Runey is proud to announce that the Dighton-Rehoboth Regional School District (DRRSD) has been awarded a $15,000 grant from the statewide STEM funding initiative announced by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. This award will directly support the launch of a new Medical Assisting pathway at Dighton-Rehoboth Regional High School, intentionally designed to align with the state’s Innovation Career Pathways (ICP) criteria and expand student opportunities in the growing healthcare sector.
As part of a $5.4 million statewide investment in STEM education, the Massachusetts Executive Office of Education awarded competitive grants to high schools across the Commonwealth to expand science, technology, engineering, and mathematics opportunities. Grant writer Renee Moorby secured Dighton-Rehoboth’s $15,000 allocation that will enable the district to begin the exploration of the following initiatives:
Develop and equip a Medical Assisting lab and classroom space
Create hands-on learning experiences that connect biomedical science with healthcare careers
Strengthen partnerships with local healthcare providers, colleges, and workforce organizations
“Receiving this grant is another important accomplishment in the renaissance taking place in our district,” said Superintendent Bill Runey. “It empowers Dighton-Rehoboth to expand our healthcare and STEM offerings, ignite student engagement, and ensure that every learner—regardless of background—has the opportunity to explore meaningful, in-demand careers. This is what it means to live DRiving Toward 2030’s mission to Empower, Ignite, and Shape the Future.”
The district has already begun engaging local employers in the healthcare field, following the same partnership model that has driven success in other DR CTE programs such as Automotive Technology, Engineering, and Marketing. Principal Dustin Demers and CTE Director Michael Strojny will foster collaborations to ensure that the new pathway reflects current industry needs and provides meaningful work-based learning experiences for students.
Once established, the Medical Assisting pathway will be rigorous, aligned with MassCore, and include a clearly defined scope and sequence featuring at least two high school-level courses and two college-level courses—offering students valuable early-college exposure and credit attainment.
Additionally, Dighton-Rehoboth is partnering with MEFA (Massachusetts Educational Financing Authority) to deliver Professional Development focused on college and career advising, ensuring that the new pathway integrates seamlessly into the district’s broader postsecondary planning framework.
The district recognizes that equitable access is essential to the success of any new pathway. Many students in Dighton-Rehoboth come from under-resourced backgrounds, and DRRSD is committed to addressing those barriers head-on.
Funding from this grant will help the district expand academic and non-academic supports, including:
Increased access to tutoring, mentoring, and wraparound services
Stipends for teacher leaders guiding students through capstone projects and internship coordination
Implementation of MyCAP (My Career and Academic Plan) to ensure every student benefits from personalized college and career planning
These targeted strategies align directly with the goals of this program—to increase equitable access, strengthen advising, and improve pathway completion rates for all learners.