Acushnet’s Ford Middle School Expands Applied Learning Initiatives Through One8 Foundation Partnership

ACUSHNET — Superintendent Dr. Paula Bailey and Principal Michelle Silvia are proud to announce that Albert F. Ford Middle School (FMS) is deepening its commitment to Applied Learning, an instructional approach that immerses students in meaningful, real-world problem-solving while fostering essential content knowledge and soft skills.

Thanks to a partnership with the One8 Foundation, FMS continues to expand high-quality, free, open-source curriculum and professional development opportunities for educators, enhancing student engagement and learning outcomes.

“We are incredibly proud of the educator teams at Ford Middle School for their dedication to embracing new curriculum and professional development opportunities,” said Superintendent Dr. Bailey. “This has been a significant undertaking, but our educators have risen to the challenge, resulting in visible and positive impacts on student learning. Principal Silvia has been a true champion of this work, ensuring the middle school has access to these opportunities and finding creative ways to support teachers. Additionally, our Academic Coach has played a vital role in guiding and supporting educators through this transition.”

The Ford Middle School Applied Learning Leadership Team has been formed, selecting FMS and Acushnet Public Schools (APS) leaders for their expertise and ability to influence Applied Learning expansion across disciplines. The team includes FMS Principal Silvia, FMS Math Interventionist Alison Bielawa, FMS Academic Coach Christine Demers, and APS Director of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment Angela Ruggeri.

“I am thrilled to see the incredible impact Applied Learning has had on our middle school,” said Principal Silvia. “By engaging in real-world problem-solving, students develop critical thinking, creativity, and analytical skills that prepare them for the future. This transformation has been made possible through our partnership with the One8 Foundation, which provides our staff with hands-on, world-class professional development and connects them with a network of like-minded educators.”

The District’s focus on Applied Learning aligns with the following three strategic goals — achieving academic excellence for all students, creating thriving social-emotional learning experiences, and strengthening partnerships with parents and the community.

“Our teachers have embraced a shift from traditional instruction to becoming facilitators, coaches, and guides — empowering students to ask questions, research, experiment, and discover solutions on their own,” said Principal Silvia. “This evolution in teaching and learning is essential, as it encourages students to tackle challenges, learn from mistakes, and reflect on their growth.”

As fixed costs continue to rise and the Town encourages budgets to remain level, APS will continue to seek out innovative, sustainable, and cost-effective curriculum solutions that provide meaningful learning experiences for all students.

“I am incredibly grateful for our open-minded educators who embraced this shift and for the unwavering support of our district leadership, especially Superintendent Dr. Paula Bailey and Director of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment Angela Ruggeri,” said Principal Silvia. “Their dedication has been instrumental in making this vision a reality for our school community.”

School administrators praised the program for its educational value and expect to work with the foundation again.

“The professional learning opportunities we’ve received through the One8 Foundation have been exceptional, surpassing many higher-cost alternatives,” said Director of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment Ruggeri. “We are truly grateful for the valuable opportunities they have provided to our district and look forward to future opportunities to partner with the Foundation.”

What is Applied Learning?

Applied Learning transforms classrooms into dynamic, student-driven environments where students develop both academic knowledge and essential life skills. The five core tenets of Applied Learning include:

• Posing meaningful, real-world problems — Assigned work is student-driven and centered on solving complex, real-world problems.
• Pairing content with soft skills — Develops both deep, relevant content knowledge and skills adults use to successfully manage work.
• Requiring iteration and persistence — Students learn that failure is a learning opportunity and sometimes necessary to iterate to get to a solution.
• Prioritizing collaboration and communication — The learning experience requires that students collaborate or seek out additional information in order to define and solve the problem or communicate their solution.
• Providing a professional frame — Lessons frame problems from the perspectives of professionals in the associated field to help students understand why the content is relevant and who uses it in the real world.

Ford Middle School is currently implementing Applied Learning across the following disciplines:

• OpenSciEd (Grades 6-8 Science) — Now in its second year, this program provides a hands-on, inquiry-based approach to science education.
• Democratic Knowledge Project (Grade 8 Civics) — In its first year at FMS, this curriculum supports students in engaging with civic issues in meaningful ways.
• Leadership Discovery Program — FMS has been selected as one of only 20 schools (out of approximately 700 Massachusetts schools that have at least one Applied Learning Program) to participate in this leadership initiative, based on its unique strengths in Applied Learning implementation.

Applied Learning Leadership Discovery Program

The One8 Applied Learning Leadership Discovery Program supports school leadership teams in strengthening Applied Learning practices through reflection, observation, and collaboration. The program provides:

• Opportunities to explore and implement strong Applied Learning practices
• Visits to high-quality Applied Learning schools
• Engagement in thought-provoking discussions to drive instructional change
• Fully covered program costs by One8 Foundation

Discovery Program Learning Arc

The FMS Applied Learning leadership team will engage in the following key learning experiences:

• January 2025 – Virtual kickoff set the direction; Applied Learning tenets were explored.
• February 2025 – Visits to Randolph Middle School and Boston Collegiate Charter School to observe and identify best practices.
• April 2025 – Inspiration Visit to Denver, Colorado, where the team will explore high-impact Applied Learning models and develop strategies for integration at FMS.
• May 2025 – Reflection and planning event to consolidate learnings and establish next steps for future implementation.

About the One8 Foundation

The One8 Foundation is a venture philanthropy organization that partners with Massachusetts educators to transform classrooms and provide 21st-century learning opportunities that promote critical thinking, complex problem-solving, effective communication, collaboration, and teamwork.

Through free, open-source, and low-cost standards-based curricula, One8 ensures that schools receive high-quality professional learning opportunities without the financial burden of expensive curriculum purchases.

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