The Gloucester School Board approved new start and dismissal times for all county schools during its June 14 meeting at the T.C. Walker Education Center. The new schedule is the same one the board rejected last month.

School officials wanted to add 20 minutes to the school day at Gloucester High School to better accommodate a new four by four hybrid schedule that will be offered this fall. The new schedule replaces the alternating A/B day schedule.

With the new schedule, most students will have four courses during the first semester and four courses the second semester. This will allow them to complete up to eight courses each year. Some classes, such as naval science and band, will continue to be two semester classes. 

The new start/dismissal times will have GHS students beginning the day at 7:45 a.m. this fall, which is 15 minutes earlier than the 8 a.m. start during the past school year. They will be dismissed at 2:45 p.m., which is five minutes later than in the 2015-2016 s...