25-02-2025
D-R super to speak at national event thanks to his handling of field hockey and other crises
NORTH DIGHTON — Dighton-Rehoboth Regional School District Superintendent Bill Runey has been invited to speak at the National Superintendents Forum for the second time this school year, according to a community announcement.
Runey will present at the forum in Atlanta on Feb. 23 and 24. He was also invited to speak at the forum in Baltimore in October 2024.
"Runey was approached because the organizers took notice of his ability to effectively manage mediaand communications during a crisis, most notably after his district was thrust into the nationalspotlight on multiple occasions," the announcement says.
His presentation, "Channeling Chaos into Clarity — Controlling the Narrative during Times of Crisis," will focus on providing educational leaders with strategies to react calmly and respond effectively during adverse situations.
When was D-R in national spotlight? Here's why D-R superintendent went on Fox News twice amid furor over field hockey injury
A video captured an incident on Nov. 2, 2023, in which a Dighton-Rehoboth field hockey player sustained facial and dental injuries when she was struck in the mouth by a shot taken by a male player. The incident thrust D-R into the national spotlight.
In a written statement the day after the incident, Runey sounded the alarm over MIAA rules mandating boys be allowed to play on girls teams if a school doesn't offer an equivalent sport for boys. Then the following week, Runey appeared on Jesse Watters Primetime on Fox News to speak about the incident and the impact it had on the team and D-R community.
'Listen to that video. It's bone-chilling,' Runey said to Watters, adding that 'seeing the trauma on everyone's faces' when the team and coaches returned from the game is 'something I won't forget.'
The session will cover how to use social media and other communication strategies to provide clear and timely information, engage with school committees and local government leaders, address the media and collaborate with police and fire departments for coordinated communication.
The goal is to foster trust, minimize confusion and keep the community informed and reassured during crises. Attendees will also learn actionable steps to improve their district's future readiness and response capabilities.
'I'm so fortunate to have an amazing District Leadership Team and a supportive School Committee who have empowered my success and consistently ignite my passion for what we are accomplishing in our #WeAreDR community, where we are #BuiltDifferent,' Runey said in the announcement.
The National Superintendents Forum provides an opportunity for K-12 leaders and educators to connect, discover and build towards an innovative industry future, according to the website.
The forum aims to help superintendents define their institutional legacy while facing challenges and opportunities.
This story was created by reporter Beth McDermott, bmcdermott1@ with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of the information gathering, review, editing and publishing process. Learn more.
This article originally appeared on The Taunton Daily Gazette: Dighton-Rehoboth superintendent to speak at national forum. Here's why
