Gwynns Falls Elementary's Bell Schedule

Entry Bell: 7:45 a.m.

Class Bell: 8:00 a.m.

Dismissal Bell: 2:40 p.m.

Arrival

The school provides adult supervision beginning at 7:45 a.m. each day in the cafeteria and on the playground. All students and parents will enter the school each day using the cafeteria door. Students who take carpool should be dropped off on the curbside of Dukeland Street. All students must be escorted across the street and the parking lot. Students riding a bus will remain on the bus until the 7:45 a.m. bell. At that time students will depart the bus and walk to the cafeteria. An adult is on duty for supervision at the drop off location.

At 8:00 a.m. students will go to their classrooms to prepare for the day. Students in grades Pre-K through 2 will eat breakfast in the classroom and students in grades 3-5 will eat in the cafeteria. If a student arrives after 8:15 a.m. then they are considered late. They must enter the school using the Main Entrance for a late pass and then proceed to their classroom. On rainy days all students are to enter the building using the cafeteria door and go directly to the gym.

Dismissal

All students are dismissed daily at 2:40 p.m. They will be escorted and dismissed at the Main Entrance. Students going to aftercare will follow the aftercare procedures. Cars should line up on the curbside of Dukeland Street. Students taking the bus will be escorted to the bus pick up area in the front of the school.

Dismissal on rainy days will not change for students.

Early Dismissals

Certain days during the year (parent-teacher conference days, for example) will be designated as Scheduled Early Dismissal days. Students will arrive as usual. On Scheduled Early Dismissal days, students are dismissed at 11:30 a.m. Bus transportation will be provided to those who normally take them. Carpool students will be dismissed as usual and must be picked up no later than noon. Students will still have a lunch period on Scheduled Early Dismissal days.

Inclement Weather

An assessment of road conditions, neighborhood sidewalks, and school parking lots and walkways will be completed by City Schools Department of Facilities with input from MTA by 4:30 a.m. The CEO will use this assessment and the most current weather forecasts to decide whether to open schools on time, open two hours late, or close schools. The decision by the CEO will be announced to local television and radio stations by 5:00 a.m. and posted on the district’s website.

The two-hour delay announcement may be followed by an announcement that City Schools are now closed for the day. The decision to close schools after previously announcing a two-hour school delay will be announced to the news media by 8:00 a.m.

When school opening is delayed two hours, classes will begin at 10:15 a.m. and school breakfast will not be served. It is important to monitor websites (Baltimore City Public Schools, WBAL-TV, etc.) and / or local television and radio stations for this announcement. A decision to dismiss schools early will be announced by 10:00 a.m.

If, during extremely warm weather, the temperature outside at the Baltimore Inner Harbor is reported by the National Weather Service to have reached the heat index of 90 degrees by 11:00 a.m., school officials will notify area television and radio stations that all schools will close for students 2 ½ hours earlier than regularly scheduled. Lunch will be served in all schools.

It is imperative that emergency records are accurate so that a parent, legal guardian, or appointed emergency contact person is able to be reached in case of an emergency.