PowerScheduler, Part 1 - Build vs. Load and access

Introduction

Creating a school master schedule is a crucial task that helps organize courses, students, rooms, teachers, and the academic calendar efficiently. This Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) outlines the steps to create a master schedule using the PowerScheduler system.

Before beginning the process with PowerScheduler, there are several key components that you will want to obtain from your school's administrators. These include:

• School Calendar for the upcoming school year

• Start and end dates for each term in the school year.

• Number of Periods and Days in the schedule

• Teacher information such as: Course Assignments for which courses they will teach

• Any co-teacher situations?

• Course list for the school year: Any new courses? Any courses not being offered in the next year? Any courses that have pre-requisites? Any course constraints such as limited to only specific teachers, or rooms, or periods?

It is also important to understand a few key terms.

• A scenario is used to schedule or create parameters. Only one scenario can be active at a time.

• A build is used when creating sections, creating teacher assignments, and assigning rooms.

• A load is when putting students into the sections and creating the sample master calendar.

• Commit - is the last function done in the PowerScheduler side of the system. Committing the load is what moves the sample scenario into the live side and makes the Master Schedule.

When to Build vs. when to Load

The purpose of the build is to basically start from scratch. This would be the process of creating all sections, assigning teachers, course preferences, relationships and constraints, and assigning rooms. A build will be creating all new sections. This will use the scheduling engine to create sections based on the information entered such as teacher assignments. This will also allow changing of structure such as number of days or periods.

The purpose of the load is to work with a previous build where a Master Schedule is already done. The load will use the previous Master Schedule and be copied or imported where only students schedules need to be adjusted for the upcoming year. The load is the process of creating the students schedules. The load process will enroll students into their classes based on the requests based on; 1) load options on the course preference screen, 2) load relationships, 3. load constraints. Use this if you are happy with your current Master Schedule and just want to copy it and fine tune sections.

Creating a New Year and Term

To create a master schedule, you must first establish the future academic year and term.

1. Access the school calendar section in PowerSchool.

2. Click on “Create New Year” and enter the necessary details.

3. Add terms as needed for the academic year.

Logging into PowerScheduler

1. Open the PowerSchool SIS application.

2. Enter your credentials to log in.

3. Navigate to the PowerScheduler module.

PowerScheduler Checklist

PowerScheduler is a valuable tool designed to streamline the scheduling process for users. One of its standout features is the inclusion of a checklist that aids users in tracking their progress toward completing tasks efficiently.

Benefits of the Checklist

- Task Organization: The checklist breaks down the entire scheduling process into manageable items, allowing users to focus on one step at a time.

- Increased Accountability: By following the checklist, users can hold themselves accountable for completing each aspect of the scheduling task.

- Enhanced Efficiency: The structured approach provided by the checklist helps users to complete their tasks more quickly and effectively.

Setting Up Schedule Preferences

Before creating the schedule, it's essential to set up preferences that will guide the scheduling process.

1. Go to the preferences section in PowerScheduler.

2. Adjust the settings according to the specific needs of your school.

3. Save your changes.

Creating a New Schedule Year in PowerScheduler

1. Open PowerScheduler and navigate to the scheduling section.

2. Select “Create New Schedule Year.”

3. Ensure all relevant information is filled out and confirm creation.

Setting Schedule Year in PowerSchool SIS

After creating the new schedule year, you need to set it in PowerSchool SIS.

1. Go to the schedule settings.

2. Select the newly created schedule year.

3. Save the settings to finalize.

Creating a New Scheduling Scenario using Auto Scheduler Setup

A scheduling scenario allows flexibility in organizing classes and resources.

1. In PowerScheduler, navigate to the scenarios section.

2. Click “Create New Scenario.”

3. Input relevant details and save the scenario.

Editing the Course Catalog

The course catalog needs to be tailored to reflect the courses offered during the academic year.

1. Access the course catalog section in PowerScheduler.

2. Review existing courses and make necessary edits.

3. Save the updated catalog.

Creating a New Course Catalog

If a new catalog is required, follow these steps:

1. Navigate to the course catalog section.

2. Click on “Create New Course Catalog.”

3. Add the necessary courses and details.

Modifying Periods and Days

Adjusting periods and days is essential for aligning the schedule with the academic calendar.

1. Go to the periods and days section in PowerScheduler.

2. Make the necessary modifications based on preferences.

3. Save changes to reflect the updates.

Creating New Rooms

Proper allocation of rooms is vital for an effective schedule.

1. Navigate to the rooms section in PowerScheduler.

2. Click on “Create New Room.”

3. Enter the room details and save the new room.

Conclusion

Following these steps is the first part to successfully creating a comprehensive school master schedule in the PowerScheduler system. Make sure to review each section and verify all entries for accuracy before finalizing the schedule.

Note: Don't forget to use the checklist as you move through the process.

Continuation to PowerScheduler, Part 2:

Now that you've explored the build vs. load and access, it's time to take you to the next step!

Select the link below to dive deeper and unlock even more insights.

PowerScheduler, Part 2