Back to school for some local students

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) - Willing or not, it was back to school a little early for some local students.

More than 1,600 kids packed into Buffalo's Charter School for Applied Technologies Monday morning.

Parents were invited inside to help their students through orientation.

The school's kindergartners will be among some of the first in the region to begin their academic careers.

Charter School for Applied Technologies Principal Andrew Lyle said, "We start about two weeks earlier than normal school and about an hour longer a day. And in the life of a student K through 12, that adds about three years to their education."

C-SAT is the largest charter school in New York State.

It's one of several local charter schools with 191 days in its academic calendar.