Before Creating a New Bell Schedule, you must add a Bell Schedule Definition to the code table see the previous article: Adding a Bell Schedule Definition to the Code Table.
To view the Flex Scheduling version of this article, see the following article: Flex Scheduling - Bell Scheduler
When the Bell Scheduler is first opened, the first Bell Schedule in the list will display. If there are no existing Custom Bell Schedules, the form will be blank and an Add New Record button will display. To create a new Bell Schedule, click on the Add button.
The following fields are available for data entry.
- Start Time - The time the school day will begin.
- End Time – The time the school day will end.
- Start Period – The first period that will meet.
- Total Periods – The total number of periods that will meet.
- Pass Time – The number of minutes for passing period.
- Break Length – The number of minutes the break will last.
- Before Period – Entering a period number means that the break occurs before the period entered and there is no passing time between when the break ends and the next period begins.
- After Period – Entering a period number means that the break occurs after the period entered and there is no passing time between when the period ends and the break begins.
- Description – Lunch, Break, etc.
To create a new Bell Schedule, enter the Type, Start Time, End Time, Start Period, and Total Periods. It is not necessary to enter a Pass Time or Breaks and Lunches. When finished, click on the Insert button. Below is an example of a Finals Testing Day Bell Schedule for the first two periods of the day with a 15 minute break between the Finals periods.
There are two options for making the Schedule, clicking on the Make Schedule button or clicking on the Add New Record button. Aeries will create the Schedule based on the data entered when the Make Schedule button is selected. To enter each period and time manually, select the Add New Record button.
In the example below, the Make Schedule option was selected. The Schedule created begins with period 1 and ends with period 2. The period times are close to equal in their length. The 15 minute pass time was created in between the two class periods. The Sequence numbers indicate the sequence the events occur. Using period 1 as an example, period 1 occurs first (Seq 1), then there is a passing period between (Seq 2)and then period 2 (Seq 1).
To view only periods, select the check box to Show only Periods at the bottom of the Schedule area. Passing periods and breaks/lunches are hidden.
All Class Periods must be the same sequence number: Seq 1 (see the snapshot above). Times can be adjusted and the Description can be changed by clicking the Pencil icon to the left of the period field. Edit the entry, click the Save icon (disk). In the example below the Description and Times can be edited. The entry can also be deleted by clicking on the Trash icon. The Undo icon is between the Save icon and Trash icon.
It is important to note that clicking the Delete button located at the bottom of the Bell Scheduler area will delete the entire Bell Schedule.
To enter a new Schedule using the Add New Record button, you need to first create the new Bell Schedule. In the example below, the new Schedule is for an Even Day staggered bell schedule, where only even numbered periods meet. Enter the Type, Start Time, End Time, Start Period, and Total Periods. It is not necessary to enter a Pass Time or Breaks and Lunches. When finished, click on the Insert button.
When adding a staggered period bell schedule, add the periods manually. To enter the Schedule, click the Add New Record icon.
Enter the Period, the Sequence Number, the Description, and the Starting and Ending Times. Click the Save icon when finished.
List all Class Periods as Seq 1.
Continue adding the rest of the even periods that meet for this Schedule. In the example below, three periods were added but no passing periods or break/lunches were added. It is not necessary to add them to the Bell Scheduler. The Even Day Bell Schedule is completed.
