Project L.I.F.T. Hosts Community Meetings On Year-Round School Calendar

Project L.I.F.T. will host a series of community meetings to give Project L.I.F.T. families and the community an opportunity to learn more about the extended, year-round school calendar concept.  Feedback from the meetings will be used to guide the zone’s decision-making process around a proposed change to an extended, year-round school calendar.

Earlier this year the state of North Carolina gave the schools in the Project L.I.F.T. zone calendar flexibility, which the zone is considering using to implement an extended, year-round calendar during school year 2013-2014. This change is being considered as a part of the overall strategy to increase student performance among low-income and minority students.

“Research suggests that operating schools on year-round can impact academic performance, particularly in reading for cognitively and economically disadvantaged students,” said Denise Watts, Project L.I.F.T. zone superintendent.  “In addition, it has been demonstrated that extending the school year can be an effective way to support student learning, particularly for students most at risk of school failure and when considerations are made for how time is used.”