The actions outlined in the project aimed to address the necessity of projecting the school into a European dimension, ensuring students' open-mindedness, and fostering the development of solid citizenship skills. Special attention was given to redesigning classrooms for flexibility and innovation, supporting activities in open classes with students of various ages and transforming multi-grade classes from a limitation into a valuable resource for educational, social, and cultural growth. The project also focused on using digital technologies as useful tools to overcome objective limitations posed by operating in a mountainous geographical context, promoting knowledge of inclusive and competency-based teaching, as well as methodological innovation. Additionally, there was attention to the relationship between the school and the world of work. The acquired knowledge enabled the sharing of organizational methods to make the school more responsive to the needs of students and families. Insights from other European experiences motivated the staff, who are now enthusiastic about implementing innovative and meaningful strategies and methodologies, understanding the importance of teamwork and sharing.
The project was conceived and designed based on the primary needs of a school community closely linked to its geographical and territorial context - a mountainous area marked by numerous vulnerabilities, situated far from significant urban centers, and experiencing a growing demographic decline. This circumstance prompted the establishment of a specific school organization characterized by the presence of multi- grade classes in primary schools and a scarcity of services and job opportunities. The vast reference area required the maintenance of a school service in close proximity to the students residences, even with minimal student numbers per class, and the risk of provinding non-stimulating curricula. This gave rise to the necessity of ensuring an innovative and competitive educational offering to fully guarantee the formative success of all students, with the aim of shaping future citizens with all the competences to face the challenging demands of a complex contemporary society. Consequantly, we developed the desire to implement initiatives for the internationalization of the school, seeking to acquire knowledge and practical experience in innovative strategies and methodologies inspired by flexible learning.