The Educational Leader's Guide for School Scheduling: Strategies Addressing Grades K-12

by Elliot Y. Merenbloom, Barbara A. Kalina

Overview

The Educational Leader’s Guide for School Scheduling: Strategies Addressing Grades K–12 is the first publication to address creative scheduling at all levels: K–5 or 6, K–8, middle, and high schools. This essential resource provides strategies for the effective and equitable distribution of available FTEs throughout the district, while helping you work through the many critical questions and decisions involved in the scheduling process. Based on the authors' decades of experience in expressing the voice of classroom teachers and building administrators in the art of scheduling, each chapter addresses key schedule development issues, providing a step-by-step sequence, multiple tables, templates, and example schedules. Follow the models in this book to master the skills of producing an efficient organizational plan for your school!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781315462318
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	04/07/2017
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	160
File size:	5 MB

About the Author

Elliot Y. Merenbloom has been an educational consultant for 24 years. He has served as a classroom teacher, school counselor, assistant principal, principal, director of middle school instruction, and area director in Baltimore County, Maryland.

Barbara A. Kalina has been an educational consultant for over 20 years. She has served as a teacher at Rotolo Middle School and an adjunct professor at Benedictine University and National Louis University.

Table of Contents

Contents

List of Tables

Meet the Authors

Preface

Acknowledgment

eResources

1. Schedules: Achieving Efficiency and Equity

An Efficient Schedule Defined

An Equitable Schedule Defined

Roles of Stakeholders

Achieving Flexibility Within Structure

Recap

Points to Consider

2. Core Elements in the Development of a School Schedule:

District and School Perspectives

Mission/Vision

Delivering the Curriculum

Diverse Populations

Response to Intervention

Organizational Frameworks: Primary and Inserts

Teachers’ Contracts

Small Learning Communities

Flexibility

Least Restrictive Environment

Financial Resources

Credit Recovery

Accommodating CTE and Other Alternatives

Schedule Implementation

Recap

Points to Consider

3. Managerial Strategies

Tally

Department Summary

FTE Distribution Chart

Teacher Assignment Chart

Conflict Matrix

Blueprint

Recap

Points to Consider

4. Organizational Frameworks

Primary

Inserts

Recap

Points to Consider

5. Steps in Building a K-5 or K-6 Schedule

Step 1: Review, Revise, or Create a Mission/Vision Statement

Step 2: Gain Faculty Understanding and Support

Step 3: Provide for the Three Tiers of RtI

Step 4: Create Modular Grid for Teaching Sections

Step 5: Confirm FTE, Sections, Common Plan Periods

Step 6: Confirm the Curriculum Chart

Step 7: Project Number of Specials Teachers

Step 8: Place Specials, Lunch, and Intervention on the Grid

Step 9: Place Core Classes on the Grid

Step 10: Indicate ELL and Special Education Teachers

Step 11: Provide Common Planning Time for Specials Teachers and Intervention Team

Step 12: Establish Rotation for Specials

Step 13: Finalize FTE

Step 14: Professional Development

Recap

Points to Consider

6. Steps in Building a K-8 Schedule

Step 1: Review, Revise, or Create a Mission/Vision Statement

Step 2: Gain Faculty Understanding and Support

Step 3: Provide for the Three Tiers of RtI

Step 4: Create a Modular Grid for Teaching Sections

Step 5: Confirm Number of Modules Needed for Teaching Sections and Common Planning Periods

Step 6: Create or Review the Curriculum Chart K-4 or K-5

Step 7: Establish Program of Studies for Grades 5-8 or 6-8

Step 8: Project Number of Specials Teachers

Step 9: Place Specials or Exploratory/Elective Courses, Lunch, and Intervention Periods on Grid

Step 10: Place Reading/Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies on the Grid

Step 11: Indicate ELL and Special Education Placement on Grid

Step 12: Provide Common Planning Time Opportunities for Specials, Exploratory/Elective and Intervention Team

Step 13: Establish Rotations for Specials or Exploratory/Elective Subjects

Step 14: Finalize FTE numbers

Step 15. Plan Professional Development

Recap

Points to Consider

7. Steps in Building a Middle School Schedule

Step 1: Review, Revise, or Create a Mission/Vision Statement

Step 2: Gain Faculty Understanding and Support

Step 3: Provide for RtI

Step 4: Choose Primary Framework and Appropriate Inserts

Step 5: Create Bell and Lunch Schedule

Step 6: Formulate the Core Program of Studies

Step 7: Formulate the Exploratory/Elective Program of Studies

Step 8: Project Enrollment

Step 9: Decide Team Composition

Step 10: Develop a Blueprint

Step 11: Assemble the Grid of Teachers’ Assignments

Step 12: Implement Professional Development

Recap

Points to Consider

8. Steps in Building a High School Schedule

Step 1: Review, Revise, or Create a Mission/Vision Statement

Step 2: Gain Faculty Understanding and Support

Step 3: Provide for the Three Tiers of RtI

Step 4: Choose Primary Framework and Inserts

Step 5: Create Bell and Lunch Schedule

Step 6: Decisions on Composition of Houses, Magnets, and Academies

Step 7: Review and/or Update Curriculum Handbook for Students and Parents

Step 8: Assemble Registration Materials and Coordinate Course Selection Process

Step 9: Establish Student Data Base

Step 10: Create Department Summaries

Step 11: Create the FTE Distribution Table

Step 12: Create Teacher Assignment Chart

Step 13: List Singletons and Doubletons

Step 14: Formulate a Conflict Matrix for Each Singleton and Doubleton Course

Step 15: Create a Blueprint for Small Learning Communities

Step 16: Place Singletons and Doubletons on the Master Schedule by Teacher and Period

Step 17: Enter Remainder of Courses

Step 18: Initial and Subsequent Computer Runs

Step 19: Implement Professional Development

Recap

Points to Consider

9. Aspects of Schedule Implementation

Recap

Points to Consider

Editorial Reviews

"In today’s schools, scheduling is one of the most challenging and daunting tasks facing even the most experienced administrators. With over 60 years of professional experience, Merenbloom and Kalina have assembled a valuable ‘how to’ guide for tackling the challenges of K-12 school scheduling. This highly resourceful volume is a must read for all K-12 administrators."
-Steven B. Mertens, Associate Professor, Middle Level Education, Illinois State University

"Drawing on their extensive experience, Merenbloom and Kalina team-up again to share their approach for developing an efficient and effective school schedule for any K-12 school. This practical and research-based guide incorporates clear definitions, specific steps, and more than 100 visual displays of school schedules. Anyone interested in school scheduling as a tool to support equitable student learning will use this book again and again."
-Micki M. Caskey, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Professor, Graduate School of Education, Portland State University

"The longer I have been in the school business, the more I have understood the importance and the difficulty of school scheduling. Using some of the strategies in this book, my district has systematically scheduled flexible intervention time within the school day and the results are phenomenal. This book is worth reading."
-Karen Hickman, Deputy Superintendent of Academic Achievement, Pasadena Independent School District, TX

From the Publisher