Bridgewater State University comes to Durfee in new pilot program

FALL RIVER — B.M.C. Durfee High School students are checking off college credits in a new pilot program with Bridgewater State University.

Early programs exist throughout the state, but what’s unique about this program is that it takes place at Durfee with a professor from Bridgewater pairing up with a Durfee teacher.

“It gives students a high school/college bridge, which is sometimes difficult for students making the transition from high school to college,” said Andrew Woodward, Fall River Public Schools director of guidance. “So we have the expertise of both of the academics.”

The pilot program started in the spring semester with about 43 students having a choice of three Bridgewater State University classes: English 101 (analytical writing); Statistics 102; and Communications 110 (public speaking). “When we picked the courses, we wanted courses that were applicable to any major, but that had solid skills that are needed for college,” said Woodward.

Some of the students are in all three classes, but most are in two of the three, said Woodward. Students take the classes in lieu of the comparable high school-level classes. The three Durfee teachers who are pairing up with the Bridgewater professors are Nate Jezak, John Saurette and Kristen Cote.

“I’m from the city so to able to open up college to kids who would not have that option is pretty inspiring,” said Jezak, a graduate of Bridgewater State himself who is teaching the Communications 110 class. “It’s great. I’m super excited to be a part of it.”

The program isn’t targeted to the school’s high achievers, the students who typically take a dual enrollment course, but those students who are in the middle who have about a 3.0 GPA. “We really tried to target first-generation students, low-income students, students with disabilities, some of the under-represented populations,” said Woodward.

Another unique aspect of the program is the academic support that goes along with it provided through JFYNetWorks, which provides tutoring two days a week for the statistics class and the English class.

“It’s a variation of the early college model and probably pretty innovative,” said Durfee Principal Matthew Desmarais. “Bridgewater professors coming here to work in tandem with Durfee teachers is the next step in where college is going. We’re bringing college to the high school.”

The idea for this program came out of College Signing Day, which was held at Durfee last May as a way to acknowledge students’ plans. A conversation between Bridgewater State University President Frederick W. Clark and Fall River Superintendent of Schools Matthew Malone that day was “a straight line to this happening," said Desmarais. "Bridgewater took the lead in applying for the grant to fund the program.”

A pilot this spring, Desmarais said he fully expects the program to expand in the future. “We need this here. Whether it’s AP, dual enrollment or early college, the more college credits a student can leave with the better because of the challenges our population faces. This is money that stays in students’ pockets,” said Desmarais.

Woodward said the students in the program are getting the opportunity to face hurdles that they’d come up against in college in a supportive environment in the high school with people they know and have relationships with before going off on their own. “This can help the college persistence numbers too; kids who stay in college and get a degree. It’s not just getting kids into college,” added Woodward.

“Now we have another example of something innovative going on here at Durfee High School,” said Desmarais. “If you’re college-bound, then we’re your best option to get you ready for college, to give you more experiences that are already there in college or relevant for skills transfer.”

As for his students, Jezak said, "They're getting up there and taking risks that they wouldn't normally take because they have this opportunity before them. They're excited to be completing some college credits."