Project LIFT students back in session

You’re not crazy: If you hit the roads of west and northwest Charlotte Monday, you probably saw buses rolling and kids returning to school.

It’s back-to-school time for students in four Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools year-round schools that are part of Project LIFT. About 2,700 students at Bruns, Byers, Druid Hills and Thomasboro, all pre-K through eighth-grade schools, are in session for 2015-16, even though most of their CMS counterparts won’t go back until Aug. 24.

Project LIFT, which raised more than $50 million in private donations to boost performance at West Charlotte High and its eight feeder schools, hopes the year-round schedule helps maintain skills that are often lost during the summer. Students get a chance to attend free enrichment programs during breaks.

And while it may seem rough that kids have to go back so early, they’ll be gloating in late September, when they get a fall break while the other schools remain in session.

This story was originally published July 20, 2015 at 2:00 AM with the headline "Project LIFT students back in session."