Master Schedule - 1st time user

[aoliger]

Ok so I am brand new to PS. I've had no training and have to try and figure this out by myself.  Here are my issues:

1. I hand build my master schedule - I have 0 idea how to enter it in PS.

2. I can't follow the PowerScheduler Load information because it talks about copying a master schedule from the previous year and I don't have a previous year.  

3. I believe I can go in to each teacher and under schedule add a new section - if one teacher teaches English 12 periods 1 and 5 do I create a different section for each period? Or do I just checkmark both periods 1 and 5 and then what do I use for sections? Does it matter?

Can anyone direct me to instructions that might help me?  I have researched and am getting nowhere and I'm so confused.

Thanks

Amy

[JeffG9]

Hi @aoliger,

1) To manually create sections in PowerScheduler, go to Courses>Click on Course>Sections Tab>New.

2) If you are not copying a Master Schedule from lat year, ignore that step.

3) See #1. Sections are created under Courses, not teachers. You will assign the teacher to the Section you are creating. Yes, if a teacher teaches English 12 Period 1 and 5, you would create 2 sections of English 12. One for Period 1 and one for Period 5 (periods are called Expressions in PowerSchool).

[ItsOnlyDoug]

To add to what @JeffG9 said, if you are starting from scratch and you are comfortable with spreadsheets, you could use the PowerScheduler Import Template to import the sections/assignments all at once.

PowerScheduler Import Template 

[joe_car]

Hello, I'm also doing a build and load from scratch, and tried to use the spreasheet to "mass" create sections but I was unable to find such option under PowerScheduler, same is true with the suggested user guide. Could you tell me how you did it?

[reppk]

Hi Joe!

I did not use PowerScheduler to do this. I used Quick Import.

I used the PowerSchool Import Template and these are my notes:

The termID must be set and saved in the import field in Years and Terms.

Make sure your information in your template is correct (teacher number was the one that was trickiest for me), but I figured it out.

Make sure you are using the exact template and filling it in correctly.

DO - test this with one single section before you move forward.

Be within the school year and term you want to import.

Go to-

Data and Reporting>Imports>Quick Import
Sections (Master Schedule)
Comma
UTF-8
Choose File
 
Match up Columns
Put Teacher Number for Teacher Number (this might have just been my issue)
Put blank for Teacher (Again, possibly my issue; it worked with this as blank)

I hope that helps! Only try this with one row or you will have to go into DDE to remove what you added if it was incorrect.
 
 
 
Sections are based by year and cannot be the same course.section as another term

[SharonS1]

You may be brand new to PowerSchool but is PowerSchool brand new as well? Has any schedule ever existed in your system?

The first thing I would ask if this is all brand new what are your intentions:

And what grade levels do you have in your school?

By using PowerScheduler to build a schedule you will need to set up many different parameters .

Since you stated that you "hand build" your master then you can use import templates to import the entire schedule into either Power Scheduler which would then allow you to add requests to students and have the system place them in classes.

Or you can set up next year in PowerSchool and import the completed schedule and choose groups of students to enroll in classes.

[Jhorner]

Hi Sharon. I am new as well. My Elementary is putting together a brand new schedule for this year. It will have new courses and bell schedules. The only part I have complete is the Years and Terms. It will be a 6 day rotation. We also have early dismissal Fridays. We are K- 6. I would like to get it started because I also handle many other roles in my position. I have been searching for self help, but most is confusing to me. Is there a training that starts at the very beginning available anywhere?

[ItsOnlyDoug]

.

[deuker]

Hello,

I am new to HS scheduling.  Is there a step by step guide for new high school principals who want to build a schedule?  

[ItsOnlyDoug]

The scheduling process is a beast if you are doing it for the first time. Once you get the first one you can usually copy over common settings you have from year to year, but that first one will take some time to build. 

This article might be a good place to start:

https://help.powerschool.com/t5/PowerSchool-SIS-Knowledge-Base/How-To-PowerScheduler-Checklist-Build...

The problem with having a step-by-step guide is that every district has their own set up. So, step by step for me might be very different for you.