TABLE OF CONTENTS

• Overview
  • Before and After the tool is run
  • Pre-Requirements
  • Course Fill Tool

Overview

Video: Adding a 2nd Lunch into a Rotating Drop Schedule

This article explains the tool on the Next Year Scheduling > Mass Schedule > Subsection Reassigner screen. The Subsection Reassigner was designed to be used by schools with Rotating Periods that offer 2 Lunch periods around a 'middle block' which also rotates. Here is a basic example of this type of schedule:

Both lunch periods will always take place during the same time every day. However, the middle period during 'Block4' will still rotate. In addition, students will have different class times during Block 4. This brings us to our scheduling issue:  On A Day for example, Print Period 5 is scheduled to take place during Block 4. Half of the students in the school will attend Lunch, then Period 5, while the other half will attend Period 5 class followed by Lunch.

This is shown in the revised view of the same schedule below:

50% of students attend Lunch 10:52-11:30 followed by Class 11:34-12:31

50% of students attend Class 10:52-11:49 followed by Lunch 11:52-12:31

Because of the separation in times for the same period (ex: period 5 on A Day can be 11:34-12:31 or 10:52-11:49) you are required to duplicate each period into an 'A' and 'B' period. Here is the same schedule again showing the split:

This requires modifications to be made on all sections that meet during Period Periods 5, 6, 7, and 8. It is because those are the periods that meet during the big lunch block. This is what the Subsection Reassigner will assist with. The objective is to split each section to account for the block of time in which students will take Lunch.

According to our example, sections that are set to Print Period 5 will need to be updated to get either "5A" or "5B" assigned. Running the tool will result in half of the Period 5 (ABCD) sections to be updated to have two subsections: Period 5A (A Days) & Period 5 (BCD Days).  The other half of the Period 5 sections will be updated with these subsections: Period 5B (A Days) & Period 5 (BCD Days).  This is because Period 5 is only split into 5a/b on A-cycle Days.

Before and After the tool is run

Before Subsection Reassigner is used:

After Subsection Reassigner is run:

Pre-Requirements

1.  The following items must be copied to the new school year using the Next Year Scheduling > Process Control screen:

• School Curriculum
• Master Class Schedule
• Print Periods
• Room List
• Teachers

2.  Verify sections are set to meet during the correct 'main' period. This may already be set correctly based on the previous year's schedule. The room and teacher do not matter, and will not impact scheduling if left blank.

3.  Because the 'rotate and drop' is handled by the Rotating Period configuration, all sections must have ALL cycle days (Ex: ABCD) selected. 

4.  You must first split up your periods which meet in between the Lunch blocks so that you have 'a' and 'b' periods for each. The 'main' period must also remain in place. For example, Period 5 will become Period 5, 5a, and 5b for three total print periods. This can be done via Next Year Scheduling > Setup > Periods

5.  Verify TWO separate lunch periods were defined, Next Year Scheduling > Setup > Periods

6.  Verify the school's Rotating Period table is in place, and add the newly created a/b periods to the rotation. This can be done via Next Year Scheduling > Setup > Rotating Periods

Course Fill Tool

The Subsection Reassigner has an additional screen for using the Course Fill tool:

The purpose of Course Fill screen is to assign students to courses with a rotating period schedule. 

Option 1: Creates a NEW section of the specified course (to be used for Lunch courses)

To run the tool with Option 1 selected, select a course within Option 1.  

Option 2: Creates a new subsection to an EXISTING course, and allows Description, Room, and Teacher to be filled in (to be used for non-Lunch courses)

To run the tool with Option 2 selected, check off the box Create subsection on scheduled course

Be sure to Save the screen and its parameters after filling out all settings/options. Then run the tool by clicking one of the following buttons:

Run Individual Fill...    Must be run if using Option 2. Students will receive a section of lunch for each quarter, period, and cycle day combination in their schedule that needs to be filled.

Run Combined Fill...    Aims to assign each student to only 1 lunch section. Builds one section with different subsections that fit the student's schedule perfectly.