By Cindy Schroeder
Enquirer staff writer

This year, most Kenton County Schools' students will have a longer school day.

The district is adding 11 minutes of instructional time to each day, said Peter LeFaivre, executive director of secondary education and student support services. Most of the changes will be at the elementary and middle schools, as the district's high schools already exceed the state's recommended instructional time, he said.

The Kenton County Board of Education recently approved the plan.

"We need to ensure that we have 11 additional minutes of instructional time each school day,'' LeFaivre said. "We're not talking about more hallway passing time or (a longer) lunchtime. It's additional time spent in the classroom.''

Last year, Kenton County students' last day of school was June 10 because of snow days, LeFaivre said. This year, their last day of school will be May 25.

The district's 12,344 students head back to school Tuesday.

"Most schools will be adding a few minutes on to the end of the school day and readjusting their internal schedules,'' LeFaivre said. "The changes are mostly at the elementary and middle schools, with some minor adjustments at the high school level.''

The changes will ensure that Kenton County students get enough instructional time by mid-April when schools give state-required assessment tests at various grade levels, LeFaivre said. Students who take advanced placement exams for high school classes that could earn them college credit also would be on an equal footing with students from throughout the U.S. who take the test in the spring.

LeFaivre said it's harder to motivate students in June, when it's hotter outside and students have finished the state assessment tests.

N.Ky. schedules

Elementary School	Start (a.m.)	End (p.m.)
Beechgrove	8:30	3:21
Caywood	8:30	3:21
Fort Wright	8:45	3:36
Hinsdale	8:30	3:21
Kenton	8:40	3:31
Piner	8:45	3:41
River Ridge	8:35	3:26
Ryland Heights	8:30	3:26
Summit View	8:25	3:16
Taylor Mill	8:25	3:21
Whites Tower	8:45	3:36

Middle school	Start (a.m.)	End (p.m.)
Summit View	7:50	2:39
Turkey Foot	7:45	2:35
Twenhofel	7:40	2:30
Woodland	7:40	2:30

High School	Start (a.m.)	End (p.m.)
Dixie Heights	7:55	2:35
Scott	7:40	2:31
Simon Kenton	7:40	2:30

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E-mail cschroeder@enquirer.com