Winn Brook’s School Day Times

  • Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays: 8:40 AM - 2:50 PM
  • Regular Wednesdays: 8:40 AM -1:40 PM
  • Early Release Wednesdays: 8:40 AM -11:40 AM
  • Before School Program: 7:30 AM - 8:40 AM
  • After School Program: 2:50 PM - 5:30 PM

(Please note that K begins dismissal a few minutes earlier in order to minimize our youngest students feeling overwhelmed by the crowds.)

 
 
ARRIVAL

Winn Brook's school day for students officially begins at 8:40 AM, with students entering at 8:30 AM. It is essential that children be assisted in developing habits of regular attendance and punctuality, since their educational experience and progress is dependent on participation in the classroom. In order to ensure safety, students should NOT arrive prior to this time. Students wait outside (weather permitting) until the bell rings at 8:40 AM. Parents must come to the office through the front doors to sign-in any child who is tardy.  More about Drop-Off and Pick-Up procedures read on the Safe Routes to School page

 
DISMISSAL

Full day kindergarten students and all students in grades one through four are dismissed at 1:40/2:50 PM. Students who must be dismissed early will be released only to their parent/guardian or another adult as indicated in writing. The person picking up a child must sign out the child at the office. If it is known in advance that this will be happening, a note should be sent in the morning to the child's teacher. Only in an emergency should you call the office to request a dismissal. Calling during the day can interrupt the child's classroom as well as office staff.

 
 
RECESS AND LUNCH RECESS

Students have 15 minutes of outdoor morning recess, weather permitting. Additionally, the children have an outdoor recess for 10 or 15 minutes after eating lunch. If there are medical reasons for which a student cannot participate in outside recess, a note is required. Otherwise, if well enough to be in school, students are expected to go outside for recess. There are four lunch periods (starting at 11:40 and ending at 1:30) of 35 minutes each. This includes eating time and 10-15 minutes of recess. During the 35 minutes of lunch and recess, lunch aides, who are the authorities at these times, supervise students in grades 1-4. Classroom aides monitor kindergarten students during the lunch period.

 
ATTENDANCE LINE

If your child will not be attending school due to illness of other reason, please call the attendance line at (617) 993-5702 by 8:30 AM.

 
EARLY RELEASE AND CURRICULUM DAYS

During early release days, students are dismissed 11:40 AM, with no lunch served. Some early release days follow a schedule of a different day of the week for special subjects. This enables a fair distribution of missed art, music, library, and physical education classes over the course of the school year. There are eleven or twelve early release days each year, usually on Wednesdays. The release day afternoons are used for parent conferences or for teachers' professional development activities. The day before Thanksgiving is a release day, as is Good Friday.

 

ABSENCES

All absent and tardy students need to be reported directly to the office by parents and guardians, so we do not worry about the whereabouts of our students. To report an absence or tardy, please try to call us as soon as you become aware that there will be an absence or tardy by calling our 24 hour automated system at 617-993-5702. Tardy students arriving after 8:40 AM must be checked-in at the main office by an adult. Note: Instruction at Winn Brook Elementary School begins at 8:40 AM each day. The Winn Brook School strongly recommends that families work hard in order to consistently bring students to school on time. There are only 180 days of school and each day counts! Absent and tardy students do not achieve success at the same level and rate as their peers who consistently arrive to school, on time, and ready to learn.

Please note: By notifying the office about an absence or tardy the student will be marked “excused.” If the school staff never hears from a parent/guardian regarding a specific tardy or an absence, it is assumed to be “unexcused.” Regardless of how the absence or tardy is recorded, students who are chronically late or absent will be contacted by our school administration team if there is an attendance law/regulation violation.