Northwest Regional Education Service District Welcome to eSIS Pre-Scheduling Training

1. Northwest Regional Education Service DistrictWelcome to eSISPre-Scheduling Training Trainer: Kris McFarland

2. 3 Phases of Building a School’s Master Schedule using eSIS • Phase 1: Pre-Scheduling Activities • School Set-Up: # Semesters, # Terms, # Days, # Periods, Course Formats & Lengths, Calendar Start/End Dates, Period Start/End Times, etc. • Homeroom Organization and Set-Up (i.e. Homeroom Maintenance) • Department Data Table • Staff Data Table (i.e. Staff Maintenance) • Rooms Data Table • *Course Data Table (i.e. Course Maintenance) • *Forecasting Activities (including Forecast Sheet Design and Data Clean-Up) • *Administrative Task: Section Allocation and FTE Balance • Phase 2: Using the Master Timetable Builder (MTB) • Phase 3: Simulation of Student Requests (loading individual student requests into the Master Schedule and the analysis of results) • Note: Some schools (generally elementary level) do not enter student course requests and manually load students into class sections rather than running mass simulations.

3. Pre-Scheduling Checklist • Chronological step-by-step listing of each activity that needs to be completed prior to your next training • List provided at end of Pre-Scheduling documentation • Supplemental Document: “Managing Pre-Scheduling Tasks Checklist” • Next Training: MTB & Simulation Training

4. Number of Semesters and Terms • Determined by length of courses and when a final grade is given during the 36-week school year • A “term” is a further subdivision of a single semester • Semester 1 might have Term 1 and Term 2 • Semester 2 would also have Term 1 and Term 2 (would not be Term 3 and Term 4) • # Sem/# Terms not defined by how often report cards are issued Note: Term does not always equal “quarter”

5. Semester/Term Examples • All courses are full-year in length and one final grade given at end of 36-week year • # Semesters = 1 • # Terms = 0 • All full-year courses are given a final grade at the end of each 18-week period; some courses are just 18-weeks in length • # Semesters = 2 • # Terms = 0 • All full-year courses are given a final grade at the end of each 12-week period; some courses are just 12 weeks in length • # Semesters = 3 • # Terms = 0 • All full-year courses are given a final grade at end of each 9-week period; some courses are just 18 weeks in length, but a final grade given at end of each 9 weeks; some courses are only 9 weeks • # Semesters = 4 • # Terms = 0

6. More Semester/Term Examples • Full-year courses are given a final grade at end of each 18-week period; some courses are 18 weeks in length; some courses are 9 weeks in length • # Semesters = 2 (for 18-week courses) • # Terms = 2 (for 9-week courses) • Semester 1 would have Terms 1 and 2 • Semester 2 would have Terms 1 and 2 • Some courses are 12 weeks in length; some courses are 6 weeks in length; some courses are 3 weeks in length • # Semesters = 3 (for 12-week courses) • # Terms = 4 (for 6-week and 3-week courses) • Semester 1 would have Terms 1, 2, 3, 4 • Semester 2 would have Terms 1, 2, 3, 4 • Semester 3 would have Terms 1, 2, 3, 4 • Note: a 6-week course would span two consecutive 3-week terms)

7. Number of DaysHow many days does it take your school to cycle through all courses on a student’s schedule?? • Every class meets every day • # Days = 1 • Some classes meet every day; some classes meet every other day (alternate) • # Days = 2 • Other “day patterns” for specific scenarios • Attendance Tumble Patterns can be used in tandem with # Days

8. S T D PSemester Term Day Period These four eSIS designations define the exact placement of all course sections in the Master Schedule: S T D P Algebra Section-01 0 0 0 3 Geography Section-04 1 0 0 5 6th Gr Science Section-02 3 1 0 4 7th Gr Art Section-06 2 1 1 2 7th Gr Art Section-07 2 1 2 2 Auto Tech Section-01 1 3 0 4

9. Attendance Tumble PatternsTumbles are used in two ways: 1) to insure accuracy in taking attendance by period (main use)2) the scheduling process (4 period alternating day schedule) • # Days = 1 • Tumble #1: Per 1 2 3 4 5 6 • Tumble #2: Per 6 5 4 3 2 1 • Tumble #3: Per 4 5 6 1 2 3 Note: A specific Tumble Pattern and Day is linked to a specific calendar date in school calendar Example M & W is Tumble #1 Tu & Th is Tumble #2 Fri is Tumble #3

10. Linking Day & Tumble to Attendance Calendar • Calendar Date Day Tumble • November 4 1 1 1 2 3 4 5 6 • November 5 1 2 6 5 4 3 2 1 • November 6 1 1 1 2 3 4 5 6 • November 7 1 2 6 5 4 3 2 1 • November 8 1 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 • November 11 1 1 1 2 3 4 5 6 • November 12 1 2 6 5 4 3 2 1 • November 13 1 1 1 2 3 4 5 6 • November 14 1 2 6 5 4 3 2 1 • November 15 1 3 4 5 6 1 2 3

11. Attendance Tumble PatternsTumbles are used in two ways: 1) to insure accuracy in taking attendance by period (main use) 2) the scheduling process (4 period alternating day schedule) • 8 periods for students: Even Periods alternate with Odd Periods • Periods 1 3 5 7 alternate with Periods 2 4 6 8 • # Days = 1 • # Tumbles = 2 • Tumble Pattern #1 = 1 3 5 7 • Tumble Pattern #2 = 2 4 6 8 • In above example, one could also have an alternating 4-Period Day with 1 tumble • # Days = 2 • # Tumbles = 1 • Day 1 would have Periods 1 2 3 4 • Day 2 would have Periods 1 2 3 4 • Note: Either choice would have a specific Tumble Pattern and Day linked to a specific calendar date in school calendar

12. Linking Day & Tumble to Attendance Calendar • Calendar Date Day Tumble • November 4 1 1 1 3 5 7 • November 5 1 2 2 4 6 8 • November 6 1 1 1 3 5 7 • November 7 1 2 2 4 6 8 • November 8 1 1 1 3 5 7 • November 11 1 2 2 4 6 8 • November 12 1 1 1 3 5 7 • November 4 1 1 1 2 3 4 • November 5 2 1 1 2 3 4 • November 6 1 1 1 2 3 4 • November 7 2 1 1 2 3 4 • November 8 1 1 1 2 3 4 • November 11 2 1 1 2 3 4 • November 12 1 1 1 2 3 4

13. Sem Term Day Period Remember: whenever working on the Master Schedule, every section of every course is linked to a specific S T D P: S T D P* • 1 1 3 Sem 1, Term 1, Day 1, Per 3 • 2 2 1 Sem 2, Term 2, Day 2, Per 1 1 0 1 5 Sem 1, All Terms, Day 1, Per 5 0 0 2 5 All Year, All Terms, Day 2, Per 5 0 0 0 7 All Year, All Terms, All Days, Per 7 *Note: Period # cannot be 0 (zero)

14. YOUR SCHOOL: Let’s Get Started • School Details • School’s Demographic Information • Number of Semesters, Terms, Days, Periods, Tumbles • School Schedule • Course Lengths and Formats • Course Start Dates • Grades and Catchments • Period Start and End Times (24-hour clock) • Non-School Days (done by district) • Reporting Periods (define only) • Will be set-up later in Teacher Assistant module • School Departments • School Room Numbers • School Staff • Certified vs classified • Assigned Classroom Default • Timetabling Options (unavailability to teach classes)

15. “Homeroom” • Homerooms not required by eSIS • User’s choice • Elementary vs Middle vs High Schools • Advantages • Can sort many eSIS reports by Homeroom • Can print Homeroom lists (similar to a class list) • Assigned Homeroom shows on Student Start-Up Screen • Assigned Homeroom can be shown on top margin of printed student schedules • Assigned Homeroom field on Student Schedule screen

16. Basic Homeroom Set-Up - Homeroom Maintenance Table • Homeroom Code (Use Room Number) • Homeroom Teachers • Max Number of Students • Full-time or Part-time (AM/PM) • Assigning/Loading Students into Homerooms after Homeroom Maintenance Table Completed (usually done after scheduling is completed at end of summer) • Mass Assignments Function • Alpha by School • Alpha by Grade • By a specific class period (e.g. Period 2 class group/teacher is Homeroom group/teacher) • Manual Assignment • Specific students to specific Homerooms • Update School Details Screen with the Homeroom Assignment Method

17. “Homeroom” as a Course & Period on Student’s Schedule • If you want to record attendance for Homeroom and/or if you want to be able to give a grade (S/U) for Homeroom participation on the report card, then Homeroom will need to be set-up as a specific course and specific period on student schedules • Homeroom now becomes part of the scheduling process and needs to be included in building the Master Schedule; this will require extra time and effort when forecasting students and building the Master Schedule • Still requires basic Set-Up in Homeroom Maintenance Table • When scheduling is complete, students mass loaded into the Homeroom Maintenance table by the class period designated for your Homeroom course

18. YOUR SCHOOL: moving on • Fee Management • Individual Student Account Ledgers • Fee Codes • Usually not used first year of eSIS • Optional in future years • Teams/Groups • Mini Rosters/Databases • Athletic Team Rosters • School Club Rosters • TAG Rosters • National Honor Society Roster • Academic Team Rosters (can be used for mass assigning courses to specific academic teams) • Etc. • Must manually be created and maintained • Courses in Your School

19. Setting-Up Courses for Your School • Your District’s “Standard Course List” • Importing Courses to Your School • eSIS Course Maintenance File (current vs next year) • Mandatory fields • Course Code (= Course Number) • Adding alpha or numeric suffix for scheduling purposes • Course Title (hard-coded by district; cannot change) • Short Name (10 characters only – be consistent) • Credit Value (1.0, 0.5, 0.25, 0.33, etc) • Grade Level (lowest grade which can take the course) • Course Length (36 week, 18-week, 12-week, 9-week, etc) • Course Format (Year, Sem, Term, Alt Day Year, Alt Day Sem, Alt Day Term) • Department • Max Class Size (only used for initial projection of # sections) • Do Not Replace by Global Alternates (only if school is using alternates) • Optional (not mandatory) • Default Semester • Consecutive Periods • # Times for Credit

20. Setting-Up Courses for Your School -- continued • eSIS Course Maintenance File • More Button (further defines how course is scheduled in your school) • Pre-requisites (report & soft warning only) • Schedule Before or After (can enforce) • Schedule Opposite (does best it can) • Explode Function (only when necessary – to be discussed later) • When new record is saved, Option Number is automatically assigned to that course • System uses consecutive numbering sequence as each course is imported

21. Understanding Scheduling of Full-Year Courses in eSIS Deciding factor is when is a final grade and earned credit is given per business rules of the district ___________________B+ _________________A- A 1 SEM no credit no credit Final Grade 1.0 credit ____________________B+ _________________A- 2 SEM Final Grade Final Grade 0.5 credit 0.5 credit ____________B+ ____________A- ____________B+ 3 SEM Final Grade Final Grade Final Grade 0.33 credit 0.33 credit 0.34 credit Because more than one final grade/credit is being recorded for a full-year course, eSIS uses “host” and “subordinate” courses to accomplish accurate posting of grades/credit on student transcript/records.

22. Creating Host and Subordinate Courses 1711 Biology 36-week Year 1.0 credit 17111 Biology (1st Sem) 18-week Sem 0.5 credit 17112 Biology (2nd Sem) 18-week Sem 0.5 credit OR 1711 Biology 36-week Year 1.0 credit 1711A Biology (1st Sem) 18-week Sem 0.5 credit 1711B Biology (2nd Sem) 18-week Sem 0.5 credit Subordinate course numbers are created by adding a pre-determined suffix (alpha or numeric) to the host course number. BE CONSISTENT!

23. Examples of Full Year Host Courses EXPLODING into Semester Subordinates 12011 Spanish I (Host course) explodes into 120111 1st semester Spanish I (subordinate course) 120112 2nd semester Spanish I (subordinate course) 12012 Spanish II (Host course) explodes into 120121 1st semester Spanish II (subordinate course) 120122 2nd semester Spanish II (subordinate course) Make sure when creating Host/Subordinates that you use a consistent pattern for course numbering host and subordinates

24. More Examples of Full Year Host Courses Exploding into Semester Subordinates 90117 7th Grade English (Host) explodes into 901171 1st semester 7th Gr English (subordinate) 901172 2nd semester 7th Gr English (subordinate) 901173 3rd semester 7th Gr English (subordinate) 90816 6th Grade Science (Host) explodes into 908161 1st semester 6th Gr Science (subordinate) 908162 2nd semester 6th Gr Science (subordinate) 908163 3rd semester 6th Gr Science (subordinate) 908164 4th semester 6th Gr Science (subordinate)

25. Host Courses Can Explode into their Subordinate Courses Before or After Simulation • Explode After Simulation (most common method) • Host Course 1711 requested by student • During simulation, the full year host class is scheduled into a given period for the full year (both semesters) with the same teacher • During simulation, the student either gets both semesters of the course (since it is a full year host course number) or does not get the course at all due to scheduling conflicts or no available seats left • Explode function run after all student simulation is completed: host course disappears and is replaced by the corresponding subordinate courses • After explosion, counselors may then re-arrange or move semester subordinates to resolve conflicts

26. Host Courses Can Explode into their Subordinate Courses Before or After Simulation • Explode Before Simulation (rarely used) • Host Course 1711 requested by student • Explode function run before simulations begins: host course request disappears and is replaced by subordinate course requests • During simulation, each subordinate course schedules independently of the other subordinate(s) • Student may end up in different periods and/or with different teachers for each subordinate • Student may be scheduled into one subordinate course and not the other due to scheduling conflicts or no available seats left

27. Using Host & Subordinates to Set-Up Other Scheduling Scenarios when you want the same group of students to travel as an in-tact group from one course to another: Teamed Courses Package or Elective Wheel Courses Package(ALL PACKAGES EXPLODE AFTER SIMULATION) 99901* 9th Grade Eng/SS Team Package (Host) explodes into 10011 1st semester 9th English (subordinate) 10012 2nd semester 9th English (subordinate) 27701 1st semester 9th Social Studies (subordinate) 27702 2nd semester 9th Social Studies (subordinate) 99911* 8th Visual Arts Wheel Package” (Host) explodes into 1162 Drawing (subordinate) 1164 Ceramics (subordinate) • Painting (subordinate)

28. Another Example of Package Team Host Exploding 9990A 7th Grade Team A Core Package (Host) explodes into 90117A1 1st semester 7th English 90117A2 2nd semester 7th English 90117A3 3rd semester 7th English 90547A1 1st semester 7th Social Studies 90547A2 2nd semester 7th Social Studies 90547A3 3rd semester 7th Social Studies 90817A1 1st semester 7th Science 90817A2 2nd semester 7th Science 90817A3 3rd semester 7th Science Note: Same students move as a group from one course to the others

29. Scheduling Academic Teams • Must decide during Pre-Scheduling how students will travel within teamed courses • If group of students will travel as an intact group from one course to another within the academic team, then you must create a unique Package Team Host course that will explode into the individual subordinate courses 99901 9th Grade Eng/SS Team Package (Host) explodes into 10011 1st semester 9th English (subordinate) 10012 2nd semester 9th English (subordinate) 27701 1st semester 9th Social Studies (subordinate) 27702 2nd semester 9th Social Studies (subordinate) • If you want students to be randomly scattered throughout the various sections of the teamed courses, then no extra steps needs to be taken at this time. The scheduler will use the “Teaching Teams” utility prior to simulation to yield a random scatter.

30. Setting-Up Host & Subordinates Courses in Course Maintenance File 1711 Biology is the full-year hostcourse worth 1.0 credit 17111 1st Sem Biology is a semester subordinatecourse worth .5 credit 17112 2nd Sem Biology is a semester subordinatecourse worth .5 credit All three courses must be set-up in Course Maintenance File(use a consistent pattern for creating host and subordinate course numbers) Use “More” screen in Course Maintenance File of the Host Course to set the Explode function for each host course: 1) Explode “Before” or “After” Simulation 2) Determining “Create Subordinate Schedule” options a) YES for all regular full-year host courses (subordinates will automatically be created after Master Schedule is built) b) NO for any Team or Wheel Package Hosts (user must manually create subordinate records during schedule building process); user will use “Paper Grid” to map out student flow/rotation cycles before data entry

31. Using the “Create Subordinate Schedule” function in the Course Maintenance “More” Screen of a Host Course Create Schedule must be set to “Yes” when you want to explode a single full-year course host into its subordinates. Example: 1711 Biology explodes into 17111 17112 “Yes” to Create Schedule will automatically create all corresponding sections of the subordinates in your Master Schedule (S T D P Teacher Room) when the Master Schedule is completed. Requires no manual entry of subordinate data. VERSUS Create Schedule must be set to “No” (or left blank) when you want to explode a Team Package or a Wheel Package into its subordinate components. User must manually create subordinate records during schedule building process; user will use “Paper Grid” to map out student flow/rotation cycles before data entry

32. Automatic Creation of Subordinate Course Sections of a Regular Host Course (i.e. Create Schedule = Yes) The scheduler creates the Host sections (e.g. Host course: 1711 Biology) Section S T D P Tchr Room 1711-01 0 0 1 3 Mr. Brown 105 1711-02 0 0 1 4 Mr. Brown 105 1711-03 0 0 1 7 Mrs. Jones 120 “Yes” to Create Schedule automatically creates the following subordinate sections after the Master Schedule is completed 17111-01 1 0 1 3 Mr. Brown 105 17111-02 1 0 1 4 Mr. Brown 105 17111-03 1 0 1 7 Mrs. Jones 120 17112-01 2 0 1 3 Mr. Brown 105 17112-02 2 0 1 4 Mr. Brown 105 17112-03 2 0 1 7 Mrs. Jones 120

33. Manual Creation of Subordinate Course Sections of a Package (Team or Wheel) Host Course (i.e. Create Schedule = No or left blank) • Team Package Hosts involve “multiple scheduling records” because these Host Courses are reserving more than one class period on the students schedule into which the various pieces (subordinates) will eventually occupy • Example: Course 99902 9th Grade LA/SS/Sci Team will occupy 3 different periods on the student’s schedule (Section –01 of the course will be Periods 2, 4, and 5) S T D P Crse 99902 Section –01 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 4 0 0 0 5 TRAINER WILL PROVIDE OTHER EXAMPLES AS NEEDED

34. Helpful eSIS Reports Relating to Your School’s ImportedCourses (i.e. Course Maintenance File) • Standard Course Verification Report (SYS266R) • Lists all the district’s standard courses from which you can select to import • Course Description Verification Report (SCH420R) • Landscape or Portrait Format (user choice) • Retrieves all Course Maintenance Data • Course Credit Information Report (SCH410R) • Quick Review of Credit Values Assigned to Each Course • Insures credit values correct for Full-Year Hosts, Subordinates, and Package Hosts • Course Descriptions Report (SCH421R) • Sorted by Department (can easily verify if all courses are in correct Department) • Displays Hosts with their assigned subordinates (can easily verify if all course information is accurate for Explode function) • Option Sheet Course List Report (SCH590R) • Shows eSIS Option Number for each course

35. YOUR SCHOOL: moving on • Pre-Transition • Run Pre-Transition • Done by district in early spring • “Projects” each current student to next grade and next school • Middle/High schools do not have access to incoming students until this process is run • Pre-Transition List • Important: This list must continually be manually updated by school (i.e. set next grade and next school for new students) • Important: Establish district communication steps to make sure all players are informed . . . . . no surprises • Student Course Requests for Next Year (i.e.Forecasting or Student Registration Process) • See Separate Handout on Forecast Sheet Design & Info • Discuss Importance of Spec Ed and ELL course requests

36. Option Entry Methods(i.e. Entering Forecast Data to eSIS Student Records) • Mass Entry of Courses • By Grade, By Homeroom, By Team/Group • Option Sheet Entry • Rapid data entry by skilled individual • Only screen in eSIS where Option Number used • If you plan to use this method, make sure you include “Option Numbers” on your course request (forecast) sheets • Individual Student Course Selections (next year) • Individualized Student Course Plan • Generally not used first year in eSIS

37. Course Alternates • Not required to use alternates (school choice) • Two types of course alternates • Global Alternates: can be substituted for any unscheduled first-choice course (unless first-choice course is coded “Do not Replace by Global Alternate” in Course Maintenance) • Matched Alternates: a specific alternate tied to a specific first-choice course (one-to-one relationship) • How alternates are used during the scheduling process: • During student simulations • Used by counselors during schedule clean-up & conflict resolution • Alternates display in red on Student Course Selection screen (use “Flip Alt” button)

38. Helpful eSIS Reports for Tallying, Analyzing, and Cleaning-Up Student Course Requests • Option Verification Letter Report (SCH625R) • Allows parent to review student’s course selections • School can create their own message script; good PR • Course Request Tally Report (STU610R) • Shows cumulative tallies of all requests • Can include Current Year Tallies for Comparison • Course Request Tally by Grade Report (STU611R) • Remember: Grade Column shows Current Grade • Student Course Requests Report (SCH305R) • Courses sorted by course number of by department showing name/grade of all students who requested course, including if alternate choice • Course Selections for Next Year Report (STU513R) • Lists all students (several sorts) showing requested classes • Four or Less Course Selections Report (STU512R) • Important: Identifies students who have over or under forecasted • Set # credits to “greater than” full schedule value = over-forecasted • Set # credit to “less than” full-schedule value = under-forecasted

39. Use of Course Request Tally Report (or Course Request Tally by Grade Report) • 1st Run (for scheduler’s eyes only) • Look for any glaring data errors and correct • Look for grade level discrepancies; correct and update individual student records • Look for subordinate courses with requests & verify if OK • 2nd Run • Meet with principal to discuss courses with low number of requests • Cancel course for next year?? Combine course with another?? • If a course is cancelled, move students to alternate. (remember # credits dropped = number credits to be added) • Student requests far exceed staffing?? – move them to alternates NOW • Notify counselors of cancelled/dropped courses and “closed” courses • Important: Run other reports for students with no forecasts, too many courses, too few courses, placement or level errors; correct and update individual student records • Run report for a third time after all of the above completed

40. 3rd Run ( i.e. FINAL ACCURATE DATA!!) • Meet with principal to determine number of sections for each course • Report will automatically generate # sections needed based on number or actual student requests divided by maximum class size entered in Course Maintenance. This is your baseline starting point* • Remember “package host courses” will show only # students for the package (scheduler must manually transfer down sections to the corresponding subordinate courses) • After meeting with departments, principal will either add sections or delete sections based on his/her criteria and final staffing allocations. • Crucial:The Principal (not eSIS) determines how many sections of each course are to be taught (and by specific teachers if staffing assignments are being pre-determined) • Highly-recommend use of an Excel spreadsheet “FTE and Course Section Allocation Plan” (by department and all-school) • Once # sections determined, you are ready to begin using the Master Timetable Builder.