PowerScheduler Creating a Load Only Scenario

Characteristics of Load Only Current Master Schedule serves as the Master Schedule for next year Much quicker in setup, etc. when compared to a Build & Load Only Offers more control of the scheduling environment Allows you to make manual adjustments to specific sections

Importance of Term Dates While many Schools are anxious to start the Scheduling process, make sure you have accurate Start and End Dates for the upcoming School Year. If you cannot wait until these are set, be sure to correct them BEFORE committing the Schedule. Setup the upcoming Year in Years and Terms on the “Live Side” as a first step

Setting up a Load Only Scenario in PowerScheduler Setup a new Course Catalog for the Upcoming School Year – Click Catalogs, then New Before proceeding, be sure you have, Term Start & End Dates, Number of Periods, Number of Days ready. You will use the dates several times in the process.

Click Autoscheduler Setup

Setup Questions Select Lowest Terms Select Number of Periods Select Number of Days

Term Setup The next screen asks you to check any and all appropriate Terms for your school

Define Start & End Term Dates

Scenario Settings

Scenario Notes Make sure you have clicked the Load Only radio button Name your Scenario (recommended that your name be unique in case you have more than one Make it your active Build (checkbox) Select the Catalog you created earlier You can only have one active scenario at a time but may have more than 1 scenario

Inaccurate Year Name Unfortunately, during this process, the Year Name is mislabeled as Full Year.

Correcting the Year Name Click on Years & Terms (under Parameters) Locate the words Full Year Click on Full Year Enter the correct year name and abbreviation (dates should be fine)

Setting the Schedule Year Click on Tools (under Functions) Select Set Schedule Year

Copying Current Year Master Click on Functions (under Tools) Select Copy Master Schedule Select your Current School Year as the source year Check the box, confirming you wish to proceed

Copy Master Schedule will look like the screen below

Re-Set Terms, Periods & Days While copying the Master Schedule does many great things, it unfortunately re-sets several tables that you have already defined in the process. You will need to spend the next few minutes re-setting and verifying these tables.

Tables to Re-Set Click on Scenarios link Click on the name of your active scenario Click the Associate button by Terms on the scenario screen Check Full Year and any other terms offered in your School Correct End & Start Dates for each term Click Submit Re-set Year Name Make sure you click Submit at the bottom of the scenario page any time you make a change to the scenario!!!!

Getting your students ready for Scheduling (Live Side) All Students must have a Next School Indicator set Mass Assign Scheduling Flag Next Year Scheduling Grade Level Seniors Next School should be Graduated Students, Sched_NextGrade should be 99 Critical that these fields are updated for the rest of the year

Auto Fill Student Information In PowerScheduer – click on Functions, under Tools

AutoFill Student Notes In addition to Next Grade and Schedule Flags, recommend the following Priority 10, 20,30 etc with the lower number being assigned to your highest grade level, example 11 th grade Year of Graduation – fill it in to avoid error messages

Setting up Teachers – done on the “live side” Click on Staff Link Click on magnifying glass to select all Click Functions button at bottom of list Select Set Staff Field Value Field to change is Sched_Scheduled Field Value should be True Deal with new Staff, Staff who are leaving on an individual basis

Courses Make sure New Courses are added and reflected in the Catalog Courses not being offered should be checked inactive in the PowerScheduler Course Catalog you are using Use Functions – Auto Fill Course Information (all Courses in active catalog) to set Schedule This Course flag

Define Section Types (if needed) Section Types is one method of insuring only specific students are scheduled into a specific section. For example, I have a section of English 9 (section 3) only for ESL students Note that ONLY students requesting this Section Type will be Scheduled into the section

Entering Requests – multiple methods to pick from By Individual Student – PowerScheduler – select Student – Click Request link From the Course – Click Requests – one student at a time ON LINE – Students enter their own requests on line Mass Update – Allows bulk entry of specific Courses

Determine Scheduling Environment Determine number of Sections offered Determine Teaching Assignments Determine Constraints (part time teachers, shared Teachers, etc) Review Current Year Schedule for insight into problems you may want to address

Updating the Master Schedule in PowerScheduler Recommend that you print a current master schedule and make changes on it before entering into PS Click Sections and make entries to each specific section Add – Remove Sections as needed Update Period Assignments Update Teacher & Room Assignments Update Max Students if necessary Recommend that you make ALL known changes prior to proceeding to Load

Student Preferences Best way to provide PS with individualized instructions for scheduling a student to a specific timeframe, Teacher or Section Must be maintained throughout the Scheduling season Student must request the Course the Preference is tied to

Additional Student Constraints Student Free – You need to insure a student is NOT scheduled for a specific time slot Student Avoid Teacher Avoid Section Linking – Insures Teacher Integrity

Course Relationships Load Relationships – CoReq, PostReq, Pre-Req Course Relationships pass year to year – make sure you review them to see if they are still applicable.

Download Scheduling Engine Recommended that one person actually hit the button and perform the Loads. You do not want mutiple loads going at one time.

Load Notes Load as often as you like Click Q to the right of Load to view Results Log (review errors) Must Import in order to see current results in reports

Load Error Messages There are 3 levels of error messages ERROR – Level 3 – Must be addressed before you proceed WARNING = Level 2 – While not a show stopper – should be addressed before proceeding INFO – Information only, not an error

Loads Complete Load Study Halls if applicable Verify Term Dates are correct – both Live Side and PowerScheduler for upcoming School Year Commit the Schedule – Point of No Return Commit process takes Schedules to the Live Side Once Committed – all work should be done on the Live Side