There are occasions when Elementary Schools would like to schedule their students into classes with teachers other than their homeroom teachers. Students would have schedules similar to what a Secondary School offers. This type of scheduling is commonly referred to as Elementary with a Master Schedule.
The benefits of using a Master Schedule in an Elementary School include:
- Students can be scheduled into courses with teachers other than their primary teacher
- Both Standards Based Grade Reporting and Grade Reporting can be utilized
- Grades can be given to those courses by the assigned teacher (not necessarily the primary teacher)
- Attendance is taken once per day even though students are scheduled into more than one class
An example of a school that may choose to use Elementary with a Master Schedule type scheduling might be a Kindergarten through Grade 8 school, more commonly known as a K-8 school. Students in grade levels K-5 are typically assigned to one teacher in a self-contained classroom. Students in grade levels 6-8 would have a rotating schedule where they are assigned several courses during the school day, each meeting during a different period of time.
Elementary with a Master Schedule
School Options must be set up with the following options. The Scheduling Type is Elem w/MST, the Session Type is Regular, the Att Type is Daily, the Att Reporting is negative attendance, and the Schedule Basis can be Semester or Trimester.
Additionally, the Att Pd must be entered. This is the period designated by the school where attendance will be taken. It is important to note that attendance cannot be taken for any period other than the one entered. More information on the Attendance Period is detailed in the Elementary with Master Schedule Attendance article.
The Bell Schedule and Term Dates must also be entered. Verify the Term Dates are valid school dates based upon the school’s calendar.
For information on maintaining Student Attendance in an Elementary with Master Schedule setup, see:
Preparing to convert Elementary to Elementary with Master Schedule for next year
Elementary with a Master Schedule Attendance
Elementary with a Master Schedule Scheduling
Elementary with a Master Schedule School Setup for Standards Based Grades