| Scheduling > Set up a schedule structure

Set up a schedule structure

[Applies to elementary [>>] and secondary [>>] school scheduling.]

A schedule structure describes the days and times that a school's homerooms and classes meet. A schedule structure is mandatory for a secondary school and optional for an elementary school. A scheduling structure enables a School Administrator to:

= View student, teacher, and room schedules in a matrix format.
= Search for classes according to meeting time.
= Have PowerSchool SMS track the number of instructional minutes allocated to each class, which an administrator can view through a custom report [>>].

Scheduled classes are particularly useful in the following scheduling structures:

= Self-contained homerooms: Whereby a homeroom teacher teaches most classes and the classes are not assigned a specific instructional time (that is, a meeting pattern). The teacher can choose when and how to teach the subjects. Certain classes, such as Music and Physical Education, may be taught by a different teacher in a different room. Such classes are assigned specific instructional times.
= Fully-scheduled, discrete classes: Whereby the homeroom teacher teaches most classes and every class is assigned a specific instructional time (that is, a meeting pattern). Some classes are taught by a different teacher in a different room and such classes are part of the fully-scheduled day for each student and teacher.
= Multiple tracks: Whereby students are assigned to a homeroom meeting pattern set up as a track. In this structure, a student only attend classes when "on track", that is, his or her track is in session. Also, attendance for a student is taken only when he or she is on track.

A School Administrator can set up a scheduling structure in either the Active Calendar [>>] or Planning Calendar [>>]. In the Planning Calendar, the administrator can set up a separate schedule structure for each planning schedule [>>]. Setting up a schedule structure involves:

= Defining scheduling groups [>>]
= Setting up term sets at a secondary school [>>]
= Defining day patterns and Special Days [>>]
= Setting up bell schedules [>>]
= Setting up meeting patterns [>>]

The scheduling structure can affect data mapping [>>].

Pearson
Always Learning
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