Changes are coming to high schools in Leon County next week.
Starting Tuesday, Oct. 14, a new bell schedule will slightly lengthen the school day. All high schools will end at 1:55. Some of them will start a tad earlier at 7:25, and some lunch times may differ.
The district says the adjustment is to make sure seniors meet the state requirement of 900 instructional hours, while also providing flexibility for schools due to unplanned closures for events like hurricanes.
Full announcement from Facebook:
HIGH SCHOOL FAMILIES: Beginning the second nine weeks—starting Tuesday, October 14—our high schools will follow a new bell schedule that adds 10 minutes to the instructional day.
Each high school’s schedule is designed to best meet the needs of its students, which is why start and lunch times may differ from one school to another. Your school will share your specific class-by-class bell schedule with you today.
This adjustment ensures that our seniors meet the state requirement of 900 instructional hours while also giving us flexibility for any unplanned weather events that may occur later this year. During the 2023–2024 school year, several weather-related closures—including Hurricane Idalia, severe weather in January, flooding in April, and the tornado outbreak in May—caused some of our seniors to fall just short of that instructional requirement. This led to our district receiving an audit finding by the Auditor General.
By extending the school day slightly now, we can make sure all students receive the full amount of instructional time, and have a small cushion built in for emergencies.
We understand that even small schedule changes can create challenges for families, and we apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. Thank you for your flexibility and continued partnership as we work to ensure every student meets the instructional requirements for a successful school year.
