Bell Schedule
Developing the school bell schedule can be a very
complex task especially when incorporating shortened days for
staff development, assembly schedules, rotating schedules, block
schedules, mandated testing schedules and final exam schedules
while at the same time keeping track of the total instructional
minutes to meet state and contractual requirements.
This tool is an Excel spreadsheet, with the capacity to
accommodate up to an 11 period day, that automates the
counting of the number of instructional minutes and days in the
school year. This allows you to be as creative as you want and
experiment with multiple bell schedules until you find the perfect
one. The formulas used in this spreadsheet are locked so you are
not able to accidentally delete them, but they are visible so you
are able to learn how the spreadsheet works.
Note: This PowerPoint is best viewed as a slide show so animations work properly.
When you first open the Bell Schedule spreadsheet it will look like this.
BELL SCHEDULE
TOTAL INSTRUCTIONAL DAYS
INSTRUCTIONAL MINUTES PER DAY(AVERAGE)
INSTRUCTIONAL MINUTES PER YEAR(REQUIRED)
INSTRUCTIONAL MINUTES IN THIS SCHEDULE
BALANCE
0
0
0
This
This
This
This
This
cell is calculated from the total "Days on this schedule" listed in the schedules below
cell is the average number instructional minutes needed per day to to meet total requirement - change this as needed
cell is the total yearly insturctional minute requirement - change this as needed
cell is the calculated total insturctional minutes from the schedules below
schedule contains the state required instructional minutes
BELL SCHEDULE 1
Starting time of school
Instructional period length
Passing period length
Break period length
Lunch Length
Exam Period Length
Assembly Period Length
Days on this schedule
Change
Minutes
Use these entries in the Period Column
1440
0 A Whole Number
1440
0
PASSING
1440
0
BREAK
1440
0
LUNCH
1440
0
EXAM
1440
0
ASSEMBLY
Starting time of school
Instructional period length
Passing period length
Break period length
Lunch Length
Exam Period Length
Assembly Period Length
Days on this schedule
Place an "X" in this column to count instructional minutes
PERIOD
Developed by Phil Saroyan and produced for the College & Career Academy Support Network
Permission is granted for educational use with attribution.
BELL SCHEDULE 3
BELL SCHEDULE 2
START
END
Change
Minutes
# OF
MINUTES Count as
Inst Min
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Starting time of school
Instructional period length
Passing period length
Break period length
Lunch Length
Exam Period Length
Assembly Period Length
Days on this schedule
Place an "X" in this column to count instructional minutes
PERIOD
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Use these entries in the Period Column
1440
0 A Whole Number
1440
0
PASSING
1440
0
BREAK
1440
0
LUNCH
1440
0
EXAM
1440
0
ASSEMBLY
START
END
Change
Minutes
# OF
MINUTES Count as
Inst Min
Use these entries in the Period Column
1440
0 A Whole Number
1440
0
PASSING
1440
0
BREAK
1440
0
LUNCH
1440
0
EXAM
1440
0
ASSEMBLY
Place an "X" in this column to count instructional minutes
PERIOD
START
END
# OF
MINUTES Count as
Inst Min
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
You will see the “Count Balance” calculation area at the top left of the page.
BELL SCHEDULE
#
TOTAL INSTRUCTIONAL DAYS
INSTRUCTIONAL MINUTES PER DAY(AVERAGE)
INSTRUCTIONAL MINUTES PER YEAR(REQUIRED)
INSTRUCTIONAL MINUTES IN THIS SCHEDULE
BALANCE
0
0
0
This
This
This
This
This
ce
ce
ce
ce
sc
In this spreadsheet, similar to other tools we have developed, cells highlighted in
yellow indicate locations where you (the user) will input values. In the Count
Balance calculation area, there are two values to enter:
1) The average instructional minutes per day needed to satisfy the yearly
requirement. In the example below, 360 is entered.
2) The total required number of instructional minutes per year. In the example,
64,800 is entered (a California requirement).
Both of these values can be changed as needed.
The “TOTAL INSTRUCTIONAL DAYS” is a calculated value that is the total of the school
days that have been entered in the bell schedules that you have created. In this
example, a total of 180 days are in the bell schedule developed.
The “INSTRUCTIONAL MINUTES IN THE SCHEDULE” is another calculated value that is
the total of all instructional minutes from the bell schedules that you have created. . In
this example, a total of 64,800 minutes are in the bell schedules developed (the cell at
G6).
The “BALANCE” is calculated from the difference between the required instructional
minutes per year the total number of instructional minutes in the bell schedules you
have created.
You will see how you enter values to develop a bell schedule and how the values you
enter effect the instructional days and minutes in the following slides.
BALANCE
0
INSTRUCTIONAL MINUTES IN THIS SCHEDULE
INSTRUCTIONAL MINUTES PER YEAR(REQUIRED)
INSTRUCTIONAL MINUTES PER DAY(AVERAGE)
TOTAL INSTRUCTIONAL DAYS
Getting Oriented
This is a reduced view of the
entire spreadsheet. You have
already seen the “Count Balance”
area on the top left.
The rest of the spreadsheet is
composed of 18 individual bell
schedule calculation areas.
These bell schedules are
identical in format. Let’s take a
closer look at Bell Schedule 1.
This schedule contains the state required instructional minutes
This field is the calculated total insturctional minutes from the schedules below
This field is the total yearly insturctional minute requirement - change this as needed
This field is the average number instructional minutes needed per day to to meet total requirement - change this as needed
This field is calculated from the total "Days on this schedule" listed in the schedules below
64800
64800
360
180
BELL SCHEDULE
Starting time of school
Instructional period length
Passing period length
Break period length
Lunch Length
Exam Period Length
Assembly Period Length
Days on this schedule
Change
Minutes
1440
1440
1440
1440
1440
1440
0
0
0
0
0
0
Place an "X" in this column to count instructional minutes
Starting time of school
Instructional period length
Passing period length
Break period length
Lunch Length
Exam Period Length
Assembly Period Length
Days on this schedule
Change
Minutes
1440
1440
1440
1440
1440
1440
# OF
MINUTES
PERIOD
START
12:00 AM
Change
Minutes
1440
1440
1440
1440
1440
1440
PERIOD
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
START
12:00 AM
Starting time of school
Instructional period length
Passing period length
Break period length
Lunch Length
Exam Period Length
Assembly Period Length
Days on this schedule
Change
Minutes
START
12:00 AM
1440
1440
1440
1440
1440
1440
Change
Minutes
1440
1440
1440
1440
1440
1440
PERIOD
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
START
12:00 AM
Starting time of school
Instructional period length
Passing period length
Break period length
Lunch Length
Exam Period Length
Assembly Period Length
Days on this schedule
Change
Minutes
START
12:00 AM
Starting time of school
Instructional period length
Passing period length
Break period length
Lunch Length
Exam Period Length
Assembly Period Length
Days on this schedule
Change
Minutes
1440
1440
1440
1440
1440
1440
PERIOD
0
1440
1440
1440
1440
1440
1440
Place an "X" in this column to count instructional minutes
START
12:00 AM
Starting time of school
Instructional period length
Passing period length
Break period length
Lunch Length
Exam Period Length
Assembly Period Length
Days on this schedule
Change
Minutes
1440
1440
1440
1440
1440
1440
START
12:00 AM
Change
Minutes
1440
1440
1440
1440
1440
1440
PERIOD
0
Place an "X" in this column to count instructional minutes
START
12:00 AM
Starting time of school
Instructional period length
Passing period length
Break period length
Lunch Length
Exam Period Length
Assembly Period Length
Days on this schedule
Change
Minutes
1440
1440
1440
1440
1440
1440
START
12:00 AM
Starting time of school
Instructional period length
Passing period length
Break period length
Lunch Length
Exam Period Length
Assembly Period Length
Days on this schedule
Change
Minutes
1440
1440
1440
1440
1440
1440
PERIOD
0
Place an "X" in this column to count instructional minutes
START
12:00 AM
Starting time of school
Instructional period length
Passing period length
Break period length
Lunch Length
Exam Period Length
Assembly Period Length
Days on this schedule
Change
Minutes
1440
1440
1440
1440
1440
1440
START
12:00 AM
END
TOTAL INSTRUCTIONAL MINUTES
Grand Total Balances:
Total Insturctional Days
Total Insturctional Minutes
Insturctional Minute Balance
0
END
Starting time of school
Instructional period length
Passing period length
Break period length
Lunch Length
Exam Period Length
Assembly Period Length
Days on this schedule
Change
Minutes
1440
1440
1440
1440
1440
1440
0
START
12:00 AM
END
TOTAL INSTRUCTIONAL MINUTES
Grand Total Balances:
Total Insturctional Days
Total Insturctional Minutes
Insturctional Minute Balance
Starting time of school
Instructional period length
Passing period length
Break period length
Lunch Length
Exam Period Length
Assembly Period Length
Days on this schedule
Change
Minutes
1440
1440
1440
1440
1440
1440
START
12:00 AM
TOTAL INSTRUCTIONAL MINUTES
Grand Total Balances:
Total Insturctional Days
Total Insturctional Minutes
Insturctional Minute Balance
0
START
12:00 AM
END
TOTAL INSTRUCTIONAL MINUTES
Grand Total Balances:
Total Insturctional Days
Total Insturctional Minutes
Insturctional Minute Balance
Starting time of school
Instructional period length
Passing period length
Break period length
Lunch Length
Exam Period Length
Assembly Period Length
Days on this schedule
Change
Minutes
1440
1440
1440
1440
1440
1440
0
0
180
64800
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Place an "X" in this column to count instructional minutes
# OF
MINUTES
PERIOD
180
64800
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
# OF
MINUTES
180
64800
0
END
0
180
64800
0
Place an "X" in this column to count instructional minutes
PERIOD
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
# OF
MINUTES
180
64800
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
180
64800
0
Place an "X" in this column to count instructional minutes
# OF
MINUTES
PERIOD
180
64800
0
START
12:00 AM
TOTAL INSTRUCTIONAL MINUTES
Grand Total Balances:
Total Insturctional Days
Total Insturctional Minutes
Insturctional Minute Balance
PERIOD
Place an "X" in this column to count instructional minutes
# OF
MINUTES
PERIOD
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
# OF
MINUTES
END
TOTAL INSTRUCTIONAL MINUTES
Grand Total Balances:
Total Insturctional Days
Total Insturctional Minutes
Insturctional Minute Balance
180
64800
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1440
1440
1440
1440
1440
1440
0
180
64800
0
Place an "X" in this column to count instructional minutes
# OF
MINUTES
END
TOTAL INSTRUCTIONAL MINUTES
Grand Total Balances:
Total Insturctional Days
Total Insturctional Minutes
Insturctional Minute Balance
Change
Minutes
180
64800
0
Place an "X" in this column to count instructional minutes
# OF
MINUTES
PERIOD
TOTAL INSTRUCTIONAL MINUTES
Grand Total Balances:
Total Insturctional Days
Total Insturctional Minutes
Insturctional Minute Balance
END
TOTAL INSTRUCTIONAL MINUTES
Grand Total Balances:
Total Insturctional Days
Total Insturctional Minutes
Insturctional Minute Balance
180
64800
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
END
# OF
MINUTES
END
TOTAL INSTRUCTIONAL MINUTES
Grand Total Balances:
Total Insturctional Days
Total Insturctional Minutes
Insturctional Minute Balance
Starting time of school
Instructional period length
Passing period length
Break period length
Lunch Length
Exam Period Length
Assembly Period Length
Days on this schedule
START
12:00 AM
Starting time of school
Instructional period length
Passing period length
Break period length
Lunch Length
Exam Period Length
Assembly Period Length
Days on this schedule
PERIOD
Place an "X" in this column to count instructional minutes
# OF
MINUTES
PERIOD
0
180
64800
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
# OF
MINUTES
END
TOTAL INSTRUCTIONAL MINUTES
Grand Total Balances:
Total Insturctional Days
Total Insturctional Minutes
Insturctional Minute Balance
180
64800
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1440
1440
1440
1440
1440
1440
0
180
64800
0
Place an "X" in this column to count instructional minutes
# OF
MINUTES
END
TOTAL INSTRUCTIONAL MINUTES
Grand Total Balances:
Total Insturctional Days
Total Insturctional Minutes
Insturctional Minute Balance
Change
Minutes
PERIOD
Place an "X" in this column to count instructional minutes
# OF
MINUTES
PERIOD
END
TOTAL INSTRUCTIONAL MINUTES
Grand Total Balances:
Total Insturctional Days
Total Insturctional Minutes
Insturctional Minute Balance
Starting time of school
Instructional period length
Passing period length
Break period length
Lunch Length
Exam Period Length
Assembly Period Length
Days on this schedule
END
TOTAL INSTRUCTIONAL MINUTES
Grand Total Balances:
Total Insturctional Days
Total Insturctional Minutes
Insturctional Minute Balance
180
64800
0
Place an "X" in this column to count instructional minutes
0
180
64800
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
# OF
MINUTES
START
12:00 AM
# OF
MINUTES
END
TOTAL INSTRUCTIONAL MINUTES
Grand Total Balances:
Total Insturctional Days
Total Insturctional Minutes
Insturctional Minute Balance
Starting time of school
Instructional period length
Passing period length
Break period length
Lunch Length
Exam Period Length
Assembly Period Length
Days on this schedule
1440
1440
1440
1440
1440
1440
Place an "X" in this column to count instructional minutes
PERIOD
Place an "X" in this column to count instructional minutes
# OF
MINUTES
PERIOD
Change
Minutes
END
TOTAL INSTRUCTIONAL MINUTES
Grand Total Balances:
Total Insturctional Days
Total Insturctional Minutes
Insturctional Minute Balance
180
64800
0
Place an "X" in this column to count instructional minutes
Starting time of school
Instructional period length
Passing period length
Break period length
Lunch Length
Exam Period Length
Assembly Period Length
Days on this schedule
# OF
MINUTES
END
TOTAL INSTRUCTIONAL MINUTES
Grand Total Balances:
Total Insturctional Days
Total Insturctional Minutes
Insturctional Minute Balance
Starting time of school
Instructional period length
Passing period length
Break period length
Lunch Length
Exam Period Length
Assembly Period Length
Days on this schedule
0
0
0
0
0
0
Place an "X" in this column to count instructional minutes
START
12:00 AM
END
TOTAL INSTRUCTIONAL MINUTES
Grand Total Balances:
Total Insturctional Days
Total Insturctional Minutes
Insturctional Minute Balance
0
180
64800
0
A Closer Look
BELL SCHEDULE 1
Starting time of school
Instructional period length
Passing period length
Break period length
Lunch Length
Exam Period Length
Assembly Period Length
Days on this schedule
Change
Minutes
6:59 AM
55
6
3
40
75
85
180
Use these entries in the Period Column
1440 0.038194 A Whole Number
1440 0.004167
PASSING
1440 0.002083
BREAK
1440 0.027778
LUNCH
1440 0.052083
EXAM
1440 0.059028
ASSEMBLY
The Data Entry Section:
Your bell schedule
parameters are entered
here
Place an "X" in this column to count instructional minutes
PERIOD
0
PASSING
1
PASSING
2
PASSING
3
PASSING
4
LUNCH
PASSING
5
PASSING
6
START
6:59 AM
7:54 AM
8:00 AM
8:55 AM
9:01 AM
9:56 AM
10:02 AM
10:57 AM
11:03 AM
11:58 AM
12:38 PM
12:44 PM
1:39 PM
1:45 PM
2:40 PM
END
7:54 AM
8:00 AM
8:55 AM
9:01 AM
9:56 AM
10:02 AM
10:57 AM
11:03 AM
11:58 AM
12:38 PM
12:44 PM
1:39 PM
1:45 PM
2:40 PM
# OF
MINUTES Count as
Inst Min
55
6
55
6
55
6
55
6
55
40
6
55
6
55
PERIOD column entries
The Bell Schedule Section:
The bell schedule resulting
from the data entered
above appears here
The Details of the Data Entry Section
Starting time of school
Instructional period length
Passing period length
Break period length
Lunch Length
Exam Period Length
Assembly Period Length
Days on this schedule
8:00 AM
55
6
3
40
75
85
180
The Data Entry Section is where you tell the schedule the starting time of school, the
number of minutes for each bell schedule component and the number of days on this
schedule. The starting time of school is entered using the 24 hour clock notation (for 8
AM enter 8:00, for 1PM enter 13:00). No, I don’t know any school that starts in the
afternoon, but just in case!! The minute length for the schedule components and the
Days on this schedule are entered in whole numbers. If some of the bell schedule
components are not needed, just leave the cell blank.
The Bell Schedule Section
Before you enter values in the Data
Entry Section, the Bell Schedule
Section looks like this.
Change
Minutes
Place an "X" in this column to count instructional minutes
PERIOD
START
END
# OF
MINUTES Count as
Inst Min
After you enter values in the Data
Entry Section, the Bell Schedule
Section looks like this. The starting
time of school appears here.
Change
Minutes
Place an "X" in this column to count instructional minutes
PERIOD
START
8:00 AM
END
# OF
MINUTES Count as
Inst Min
The Bell Schedule Section
Entering the bell schedule
in the “PERIOD” column
For the calculations to
work properly and
recognize the values you
placed in the Data Entry
Section, only specific
entries are allowed in the
“PERIOD” column:
1) A whole number
2) PASSING
3) LUNCH
4) BREAK
5) ASSEMBLY
6) EXAM
The formulas in this spreadsheet
recognize ONLY these Period entries
and will automatically calculate
times and minutes when they are
entered.
Change
Minutes
Place an "X" in this column to count instructional minutes
PERIOD
START
8:00 AM
END
# OF
MINUTES Count as
Inst Min
The Bell Schedule Section
To begin developing your bell
schedule, enter one of the six
allowed values in the period
column. Here the whole
number 1 is entered. When
this is done, the formula looks
at the value you entered in
the Instructional Period
Length cell of the Data Entry
Section and calculates the end
time (8:55 AM) and lists the
number of minutes (55) of the
bell schedule component. The
end time of this component is
placed as the start time of the
next component (8:55 AM).
Change
Minutes
Place an "X" in this column to count instructional minutes
PERIOD
1
START
8:00 AM
8:55 AM
# OF
MINUTES Count as
END
Inst Min
8:55 AM
55
The Bell Schedule Section
Here, PASSING is entered as the
next bell schedule component.
The formula looks to the value
you placed in the Data Entry
Section for the Passing Period
Length and calculates the end
time for the period, lists the
number of minutes and sets
the start time of the next bell
schedule component.
Continue filling out the bell
schedule period components
until you have finished your
bell schedule. Remember to
only use one of the six allowed
values.
Change
Minutes
Place an "X" in this column to count instructional minutes
PERIOD
1
PASSING
START
8:00 AM
8:55 AM
9:01 AM
# OF
MINUTES Count as
END
Inst Min
8:55 AM
55
9:01 AM
6
The Bell Schedule Section – Instructional Minutes
This is an example of a completed 6-period bell schedule. Note the column on the right.
In counting “Instructional”
minutes, not all times during
the day qualify. A zero period
may not count if a certain
percentage of your students
don’t participate. Lunch and
Breaks for snacks usually don’t
count. An “Assembly” may
count, but a “Rally” may not. In
order for this program to
correctly count the instructional
minutes, place an “X” (without
the quote marks) in the “Count
as Inst Min” column aligned
with the bell schedule
component rows that qualify as
“Instructional” minutes.
Change
Minutes
Place an "X" in this column to count instructional minutes
PERIOD
0
PASSING
1
PASSING
2
PASSING
3
PASSING
4
LUNCH
PASSING
5
PASSING
6
START
8:00 AM
8:55 AM
9:01 AM
9:56 AM
10:02 AM
10:57 AM
11:03 AM
11:58 AM
12:04 PM
12:59 PM
1:39 PM
1:45 PM
2:40 PM
2:46 PM
3:41 PM
END
8:55 AM
9:01 AM
9:56 AM
10:02 AM
10:57 AM
11:03 AM
11:58 AM
12:04 PM
12:59 PM
1:39 PM
1:45 PM
2:40 PM
2:46 PM
3:41 PM
# OF
MINUTES Count as
Inst Min
55
6
55
x
6
x
55
x
6
x
55
x
6
x
55
x
40
6
x
55
x
6
x
55
x
The Bell Schedule Section – Period Time Adjustments
Sometimes you may wish to
have some periods in the day
deviate from the standard
allotment of time. This can be
accomplished through the use
of the Change Minutes column.
In this example, the number 9 is
placed in period 1. The effect of
this is to increase the length of
period 1 by 9 minutes to 64
minutes. All other times
automatically adjust to
accommodate for this change.
Time can be subtracted from a
period component by using negative
numbers. A -9 is placed in period 6
in this example causing a reduction
in the period length.
Change
Minutes
Place an "X" in this column to count instructional minutes
9
-9
PERIOD
0
PASSING
1
PASSING
2
PASSING
3
PASSING
4
LUNCH
PASSING
5
PASSING
6
START
8:00 AM
8:55 AM
9:01 AM
10:05 AM
10:11 AM
11:06 AM
11:12 AM
12:07 PM
12:13 PM
1:08 PM
1:48 PM
1:54 PM
2:49 PM
2:55 PM
3:41 PM
END
8:55 AM
9:01 AM
10:05 AM
10:11 AM
11:06 AM
11:12 AM
12:07 PM
12:13 PM
1:08 PM
1:48 PM
1:54 PM
2:49 PM
2:55 PM
3:41 PM
# OF
MINUTES Count as
Inst Min
55
6
64
x
6
x
55
x
6
x
55
x
6
x
55
x
40
6
x
55
x
6
x
46
x
Instructional Day and Minute Summary
Back up at the top of the spreadsheet is the summary of the total instructional days and
minutes. So far we have only used one of the 18 bell schedule templates. If more templates
are used, the sum of the total instructional days and minutes from all bell schedule templates
is shown here.
TOTAL INSTRUCTIONAL DAYS
INSTRUCTIONAL MINUTES PER DAY(AVERAGE)
INSTRUCTIONAL MINUTES PER YEAR(REQUIRED)
INSTRUCTIONAL MINUTES IN THIS SCHEDULE
BALANCE
0
180
360
64800
64800
This
Totalcell
Daysis calc
This cell is the
This cell is the
This
Totalcell is the
Minutes
This
schedule c
Here we have a total of 180 instructional days and 64,800 instructional minutes with a
instructional balance of zero (0).
As a convenience, this information is duplicated directly below each of the 18 bell schedule
templates along with the instructional minute total for individual bell schedule template
and the difference between this total and the average daily total.
TOTAL INSTRUCTIONAL MINUTES
DIFFERENCE FROM DAILY AVERAGE
Grand Total Balances:
Total Insturctional Days
Total Insturctional Minutes
Insturctional Minute Balance
360
0
180
64800
0
Working with Multiple Bell Schedule Templates
So far, we have only used one of the 18 bell schedule
templates. Typically in schools, there will be more than
one schedule: the “normal” bell schedule, a testing
schedule, an assembly schedule, maybe even an early
release schedule. Each one of these schedules would be
entered on a separate bell schedule template with the
appropriate number of school days on each schedule.
Again, the total instructional school days and
instructional minutes are combined from each bell
schedule template so you can be sure to have the correct
number of days and minutes. What follows is an example
of the use of multiple bell schedule templates.
Here we use two bell schedule templates to create a bell schedule system to “Bank” extra
minutes on Schedule 1 and spend them on Schedule 2. We take a closer look on the next pages.
BELL SCHEDULE 1
Starting time of school
Instructional period length
Passing period length
Break period length
Lunch Length
Exam Period Length
Assembly Period Length
Days on this schedule
Change
Minutes
-3
BELL SCHEDULE 2
7:00 AM
57
6
40
Use these entries in the Period Column
1440 0.039583 A Whole Number
1440 0.004167
PASSING
1440
0
BREAK
1440 0.027778
LUNCH
1440
0
EXAM
1440
0
ASSEMBLY
Starting time of school
Instructional period length
Passing period length
Break period length
Lunch Length
Exam Period Length
Assembly Period Length
Days on this schedule
147
Place an "X" in this column to count instructional minutes
PERIOD
0
PASSING
1
PASSING
2
PASSING
3
PASSING
4
LUNCH
PASSING
5
PASSING
6
START
7:00 AM
7:54 AM
8:00 AM
8:57 AM
9:03 AM
10:00 AM
10:06 AM
11:03 AM
11:09 AM
12:06 PM
12:46 PM
12:52 PM
1:49 PM
1:55 PM
2:52 PM
END
7:54 AM
8:00 AM
8:57 AM
9:03 AM
10:00 AM
10:06 AM
11:03 AM
11:09 AM
12:06 PM
12:46 PM
12:52 PM
1:49 PM
1:55 PM
2:52 PM
# OF
MINUTES Count as
Inst Min
54
6
57
X
6
X
57
X
6
X
57
X
6
X
57
X
40
6
X
57
X
6
X
57
X
Change
Minutes
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
7:08 AM
47
5
40
Use these entries in the Period Column
1440 0.032639 A Whole Number
1440 0.003472
PASSING
1440
0
BREAK
1440 0.027778
LUNCH
1440
0
EXAM
1440
0
ASSEMBLY
33
Place an "X" in this column to count instructional minutes
PERIOD
0
PASSING
1
PASSING
2
PASSING
3
PASSING
4
LUNCH
PASSING
5
PASSING
6
START
7:08 AM
7:55 AM
8:00 AM
8:47 AM
8:52 AM
9:39 AM
9:44 AM
10:31 AM
10:36 AM
11:23 AM
12:03 PM
12:08 PM
12:55 PM
1:00 PM
1:47 PM
END
7:55 AM
8:00 AM
8:47 AM
8:52 AM
9:39 AM
9:44 AM
10:31 AM
10:36 AM
11:23 AM
12:03 PM
12:08 PM
12:55 PM
1:00 PM
1:47 PM
# OF
MINUTES Count as
Inst Min
47
5
47
X
5
X
47
X
5
X
47
X
5
X
47
X
40
5
X
47
X
5
X
47
X
BELL SCHEDULE 1
Starting time of school
Instructional period length
Passing period length
Break period length
Lunch Length
Exam Period Length
Assembly Period Length
Days on this schedule
Change
Minutes
-3
7:00 AM
57
6
40
Use these entries in the Period Column
1440 0.039583 A Whole Number
1440 0.004167
PASSING
1440
0
BREAK
1440 0.027778
LUNCH
1440
0
EXAM
1440
0
ASSEMBLY
147
Place an "X" in this column to count instructional minutes
PERIOD
0
PASSING
1
PASSING
2
PASSING
3
PASSING
4
LUNCH
PASSING
5
PASSING
6
START
7:00 AM
7:54 AM
8:00 AM
8:57 AM
9:03 AM
10:00 AM
10:06 AM
11:03 AM
11:09 AM
12:06 PM
12:46 PM
12:52 PM
1:49 PM
1:55 PM
2:52 PM
END
7:54 AM
8:00 AM
8:57 AM
9:03 AM
10:00 AM
10:06 AM
11:03 AM
11:09 AM
12:06 PM
12:46 PM
12:52 PM
1:49 PM
1:55 PM
2:52 PM
TOTAL INSTRUCTIONAL MINUTES
DIFFERENCE FROM DAILY AVERAGE
# OF
MINUTES Count as
Inst Min
54
6
57
X
6
X
57
X
6
X
57
X
6
X
57
X
40
6
X
57
X
6
X
57
X
372
12
In Bell Schedule 1 we have a 57
minute instructional period length, 6
minute passing, 40 minute lunch and
we are on this schedule for 147 days.
We utilized the Change Minute
column to decrease the length of “0”
period so 1st period would start at
8:00 AM. We could have adjusted the
Starting time of school to accomplish
the same 1st period starting time. At
the bottom below the bell schedule
you see that there are a total of 372
instructional minutes in this bell
schedule which in this example is 12
minutes over the average of 360
instructional minutes per day. This is
a “Banking Minutes” bell schedule.
Let’s take a look at Bell Schedule 2 on
the next page.
BELL SCHEDULE 2
Starting time of school
Instructional period length
Passing period length
Break period length
Lunch Length
Exam Period Length
Assembly Period Length
Days on this schedule
Change
Minutes
7:08 AM
47
5
40
Use these entries in the Period Column
1440 0.032639 A Whole Number
1440 0.003472
PASSING
1440
0
BREAK
1440 0.027778
LUNCH
1440
0
EXAM
1440
0
ASSEMBLY
33
Place an "X" in this column to count instructional minutes
PERIOD
0
PASSING
1
PASSING
2
PASSING
3
PASSING
4
LUNCH
PASSING
5
PASSING
6
START
7:08 AM
7:55 AM
8:00 AM
8:47 AM
8:52 AM
9:39 AM
9:44 AM
10:31 AM
10:36 AM
11:23 AM
12:03 PM
12:08 PM
12:55 PM
1:00 PM
1:47 PM
END
7:55 AM
8:00 AM
8:47 AM
8:52 AM
9:39 AM
9:44 AM
10:31 AM
10:36 AM
11:23 AM
12:03 PM
12:08 PM
12:55 PM
1:00 PM
1:47 PM
TOTAL INSTRUCTIONAL MINUTES
DIFFERENCE FROM DAILY AVERAGE
Grand Total Balances:
Total Insturctional Days
Total Insturctional Minutes
Insturctional Minute Balance
# OF
MINUTES Count as
Inst Min
47
5
47
X
5
X
47
X
5
X
47
X
5
X
47
X
40
5
X
47
X
5
X
47
X
307
-53
180
64815
15
Here in Bell Schedule 2 we “Spend” the
minutes. The Starting time of school has been
adjusted so 1st period begins at 8:00 AM. The
Instructional period length is 47 minutes,
passing is 5 minutes, lunch is 40 minutes and
the school will use this bell schedule for 33
days. Just in case you were wondering, 33 is
the number of Wednesdays in the school year I
looked at and this was the day we used in our
school district for early out days. Any day can
be used and you can also adjust the starting
time of school such that you can have a LateStart day (See the next page).
Below the Bell Schedule you see in the
summary that this schedule only has 307
instructional minutes, so you are “Spending”
the extra minutes you “Banked” in Bell
Schedule 1. Also notice that with the
combination of Bell Schedule 1 and Bell
Schedule 2, the Total Instructional Minutes for
the full year (180 days in this example) is
64,815. This exceeds the required number of
instructional minutes by 15 minutes.
BELL SCHEDULE 2
Starting time of school
Instructional period length
Passing period length
Break period length
Lunch Length
Exam Period Length
Assembly Period Length
Days on this schedule
Change
Minutes
8:13 AM
47
5
40
Use these entries in the Period Column
1440 0.032639 A Whole Number
1440 0.003472
PASSING
1440
0
BREAK
1440 0.027778
LUNCH
1440
0
EXAM
1440
0
ASSEMBLY
33
Place an "X" in this column to count instructional minutes
PERIOD
0
PASSING
1
PASSING
2
PASSING
3
PASSING
4
LUNCH
PASSING
5
PASSING
6
START
8:13 AM
9:00 AM
9:05 AM
9:52 AM
9:57 AM
10:44 AM
10:49 AM
11:36 AM
11:41 AM
12:28 PM
1:08 PM
1:13 PM
2:00 PM
2:05 PM
2:52 PM
END
9:00 AM
9:05 AM
9:52 AM
9:57 AM
10:44 AM
10:49 AM
11:36 AM
11:41 AM
12:28 PM
1:08 PM
1:13 PM
2:00 PM
2:05 PM
2:52 PM
# OF
MINUTES Count as
Inst Min
47
5
47
X
5
X
47
X
5
X
47
X
5
X
47
X
40
5
X
47
X
5
X
47
X
Here is the example of the
Late-Start schedule. The only
thing changed on this bell
schedule compared to Bell
Schedule 2 on the previous
page is the Starting time of
school. The starting time was
changed from 7:08 AM to
8:13 AM and all times in the
bell schedule chart adjusted
automatically.
By adjusting the start
times, bell schedule
component minute
lengths and days on each
schedule, you will be
able to create your
perfect set of schedules.
You now have a working understanding of how to use the Bell Schedule spreadsheet. If you
have questions or suggestions for improvements, please don’t hesitate to contact me.
Thank you and happy scheduling!!
Phil Saroyan
jp9@jps.net
The Bell Schedule spreadsheet and these instructions are
provided to you at no cost by the
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