The Lewis Palmer School District is changing the way summer courses are offered for elementary students. Its new summer school program will offer a combination of academic and special interest classes for all students. It's hoped this new format will increase attendance, better utilize resources, and make more classes available to everyone.

The program is called "Project LIFT Off" ( Learning is Fun Together), and it combines all summer offerings onto one campus and into one, modular schedule. In the recent past, LP elementary schools have offered a variety of individual classes on each campus. This year, instead of spreading options out around the District, transportation will be available to get students to the central location.

This is the first year Dr. Susan Adams, Director of Program Implementation and Evaluation, has run the summer program. She explained, "Some people think of summer school as just for students who need extra academic help. We want our summer offerings to be that, and so much more. This new arrangement will give students the option to take a combination of intervention classes and enrichment courses. Students who don't need extra work on basics can just take the enrichment activities - like writing poetry, building bridges, or developing science projects."

Classes to be offered this summer include: Logic and Puzzles; Creative Writing; Movement and Strategy (outdoor games); Shapes, Solids, and Structures (building); Readers Theatre; Battle of the Books and more, as well as the traditional summer school classes to strengthen math and literacy skills.

All classes will be held on the Prairie Winds Elementary School campus, with limited bus transportation available from Grace Best Elementary and Palmer Lake Elementary. Dates for the summer program are June 4-22, from 8:30 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. with flexibility for students to take early morning and/or mid-morning classes. Cost is $125 per class, with some scholarships and tuition reduction programs available.

The District will host a public open house for families to get more information and meet teachers. It will be held at Prairie Winds Elementary, 790 King's Deer Point East, from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Monday, April 30 th . Registration will be accepted at the open house, or parents may obtain registration forms on the District website www.lewispalmer.org.