Massachusetts Secretary of Education Matthew Malone has been on a mission to get out of the office and into schools, and on Tuesday morning he took a tour of Old Rochester Regional’s summer program.

“Summer programs are something we know works. That’s one reason we’re coming here,” said Malone.

The secretary said his department is seeking ways to engage young people and combat the summer “brain drain” that can happen when kids are not actively learning during the summer. Part of the process is Free Fun Fridays that encourage families and students to visit certain museums and cultural centers on Fridays with no admission.

Malone said he also wants to rethink the regular “ten month agrarian” school calendar.

“We’re changing the paradigm of what school looks like,” he said.

Summer programs that work with both general and special education students are a crucial part of that, and Malone said he likes what ORR is doing.

The school district's six-week Summer Adventures In Learning program (SAIL) is open to kids of all ages, including tri-town residents and summer visitors. While many of the students have an individualized education program, SAIL also provides courses for general education students. Almost 190 students are taking part in the program at ORR High School.

As Malone toured the school, he stopped in a pre-algebra class for junior high students, and spoke to them about the importance of math in their education.

“Math is everywhere,” he said, stressing that they would need it after high school. “You have to go to college.”

Malone spent time observing several classes and interacting with the teachers and students there.

“What I like about the summer program…is you can really get down deep,” he said.

Mattapoisett is one of 278 communities in the Commonwealth that Malone has visited, and ORR was partially chosen because his summer intern Megan Pierce, a Rochester resident and college student at Fitchburg State University, is from the area. (Read more about Pierce here.)

Megan’s younger sister, Haley, is also a friend of Malone’s after being invited to a recent Special Olympics fundraiser where Malone rappelled more than 200 feet off a building.

After visiting Haley’s class, Malone spoke with administrators, including Superintendent Doug White and SAIL directors Holly Ashley and Charles West.

“The best part of the job is seeing the work. I hate sitting in meetings. I want to be out doing something,” said Malone.