Gomes School Applying For Grant To Add Over 300 School Hours

The New Bedford School Committee is giving the Alfred J. Gomes Elementary School the green light to take steps that could result in longer and additional school days. The School Committee Monday approved a memorandum of agreement with the New Bedford Educators Association to allow the school to apply for an Extended Learning Time (ELT) Grant from the Massachusetts 21st Century Community Learning Centers.

The ELT Grant would provide funding to add eight additional days to the school year at Gomes and alter school hours to 7:55am through 3:30pm, adding 322 hours to the school year.

In a written statement, Superintendent Pia Durkin said, "Extended time on teaching and learning plus professional development and common planning time will give our teachers more tools to best serve our children."