Town Government
School Committee & Superintendent
The Superintendent
Paula J. Bailey, Ed.D.
About 924 students start their day in this district, and one person answers for all of it. Paula J. Bailey, Ed.D. leads Acushnet Public Schools, proposing the school budget, setting academic priorities, and running the town’s two schools, Acushnet Elementary School and Albert F. Ford Middle School, day to day. Acushnet is a single-town district that runs through grade eight; its high-school students continue on to New Bedford and to Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical High School by agreement. The Superintendent is hired by and reports to the elected School Committee, which carries out an annual evaluation, so the person who runs the schools answers to a board the town chose.
| Role | Superintendent of Schools |
|---|---|
| District office | Albert F. Ford Middle School, 708 Middle Road, Acushnet, MA 02743 |
| Website | acushnetschools.us |
The School Committee
The Acushnet School Committee has five members, elected town-wide to staggered three-year terms. The committee sets district policy, approves the school budget, and hires and evaluates the Superintendent who runs the schools day to day. It meets the second Tuesday of each month during the school year in the library at Albert F. Ford Middle School, and the meetings are public, which means an Acushnet student who shows up can speak.
Ronald A. Houde, Jr.
Melissa Cordeira
Jesse C. Ellis
Ebony R. McGlynn
John Howcroft
The District at a Glance
- Enrollment: about 924 students, PreK through grade 8.
- Schools: two, Acushnet Elementary School and Albert F. Ford Middle School.
- Distinction: in 2022 Acushnet Elementary School was named a National Distinguished School, one of two in the state.
- State data: DESE profile (code 00030000).
Meetings & Participation
- When: the second Tuesday of each month during the school year, in the library at Albert F. Ford Middle School, with agendas posted on the district website.
- Public comment: residents may address the committee. Check the agenda for sign-up details.
- Watch: agendas and minutes are posted on the district website at acushnetschools.us.
- Subcommittees: much of the detailed work on budget, policy, and facilities happens in subcommittees.
Curious how a bill becomes law, or how students can take on a civics project?