20-minute focus period coming to Fayette high schools in Aug.

The Fayette County Board of Education Tuesday night voted unanimously to expand the 20-minute instructional focus period to the county’s three remaining high schools beginning in August.

The move follows that of Sandy Creek High School and Fayette County High School where the 20-minute period had been previously added. School staff, students and principals recently advocated for including the 20-minute period at Whitewater, Starr’s Mill and McIntosh high schools.

Implementing the change will mean that each of the county’s five high schools beginning in August will begin the school day at 8:40 a.m. and end at 3:40 p.m.

Sandy Creek Principal Roy Rabold and Fayette County High School Principal Charles Warr at a recent school board meeting noted numerous benefits to having added the 20-minute period at their schools in recent years.

Rabold said that at Sandy Creek the 20-minute period is used for purposes of remediation, acceleration or study hall. Both Rabold and Warr said the Instructional Focus period is supported by staff and is beneficial to student achievement.

The vote by the board came at the recommendation of Superintendent Jeff Bearden.