SMITHFIELD - Principals at the county's first extended-calendar schools say they've seen early signs the new model will help children. The principals said many students came to school for an optional week of enrichment and that fewer regressed over the summer.

In October, both schools had a two-week break, the first since their longer schedule began in late July. During the break, both schools held a weeklong session meant to catch some students up and push others ahead.

At South Smithfield, 67 percent of students attended; at West, just under half came.

Teachers and staff put students to work on unusual projects -- at South Smithfield, some made a huge paper whale, while others simulated oil spills in the science lab.

"It was visual, and it was big," said Carla Taylor, principal of that school.

At South Smithfield, two-thirds of the students came for remediation, while the others worked to get ahead in their studies.

Principals of both schools said the shortened summer made the return to the classroom easier. Half as many students saw their reading skills regress over the summer compared to the year before, according to the schools' tests. And this year, students had less trouble getting back into the school routine.

"It was like they had never left," said Taylor.

Taylor invited David Wilson, father of a 10-year-old at the school, to comment on the schedule. He appreciated the extended fall break.

"It avoids burnout," said Wilson, who supported the new calendar as soon as it was announced. "You're really able to focus on what students need for success."

Some families went to Disney World during fall break, and others have planned trips to their home countries for the longer three-week winter break, Taylor said.

Not everyone favors the new calendar, though. At South Smithfield, an initial survey, taken while the new schedule was still under consideration, showed 55 percent of parents supported the change. So far, three families have left that school because of the new calendar.

Robbie, a parent who declined to give his last name for fear of reprisal against his children, voted against the change during that survey. By last week, he was more ambivalent; he did not disapprove of the calendar but said it had forced some family schedule shuffling.

"It's a little bit of a pain," said Robbie, who has a child in both South Smithfield and Smithfield Middle School. The family had planned to go to the mountains last Friday, until they realized that only their elder child had the day off.

Still, he seemed cautiously optimistic. "I think it'll take a while before we see any benefit," the father said.