Wellesley Centers for Women to Hold Lunchtime Seminar

The Wellesley Centers for Women (WCW) continues its fall lunchtime seminar series Nov. 7 with Summer Slide: Not Your Average Playground, presented by Georgia Hall, Ph.D.

Research on the achievement gap suggests that the average student loses the equivalent of one month of instruction over the summer, and that the amount of loss differs for subsets of students. Enter – summer learning programs. In this presentation, learn and share how innovative school communities have repurposed summer learning programs to focus on more enriching and engaging, academically-focused learning experiences.

Hall is a senior research scientist at the National Institute on Out-of-School Time (NIOST) and specializes in research and evaluation on youth development programs, settings, and learning experiences. Hall is currently the Principal Investigator for several summer learning initiatives including the Boston Summer Learning Project, Providence After School Alliance, Summer Scholars, and the Massachusetts 21st Century Community Learning Centers Summer Pilot.

Lunchtime seminars are held Thursdays, 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. at the Centers' Cheever House location, 828 Washington St., Wellesley. The programs are free and open to the public. Guests are invited to bring their lunches, WCW will provide tea and coffee. To confirm program line-up, call 781 283 2500 or visit www.wcwonline.org/calendar.

The Wellesley Centers for Women at Wellesley College is one of the largest gender-focused research-and-action organizations in the world. Scholars at the Centers conduct social science research and evaluation, develop theory and publications, and implement training and action programs on issues that put women’s lives and women’s concerns at the center. Since 1974, WCW’s work has generated changes in attitudes, practices, and public policy.