The student schedules feature unlocks a ton of capabilities, including teachers having their current class roster on their home screen, faster pass creation since students/teachers won’t have to select an “origin” anymore, and teachers can look up where any student is currently located.
Things to Know Before Starting
This guide will walk you through how to set up schedules and classes as an admin, but if you want to take a look at accepting classes from a teacher's perspective, please head over here. If you are having teachers accept classes, please be sure to toggle this permission on. Schools have averaged between 15-30 minutes to build their schedule depending on the complexity of their schedules.
Before you dive in, let's take a moment and define a few key terms so you can better understand how to enter your schedule.
Schedule: We consider a schedule a single group of periods without overlapping periods.
Regular Days: These are schedules that occur on an every day, or repeating basis within a single schedule. These could be A day/B Day, MWF/TTH schedules, or even just a single day.
Modified Days: These are schedules that occur at random, or set times throughout your year, but are not defined in any certain rotation. Examples are early release, delay schedules, pep rallies, etc.
Multiple Schedules: This term refers to schools who have schedules that run concurrently, such as having multiple grade levels running on independent schedules during the same day. These often have different/overlapping times when compared to the other concurrent schedules, or have different rotating days within.
Lunch Waves: This refers to periods of the day that are broken up by lunches. For example, during 5th block you might have A, B and C lunch, and lunch may occur at the start, in the middle, or at the end of the period for a student.
Adding Your Schedule
By clicking the Bell Schedule tab on the left of your admin page you can begin adding your schedule. It will take about 15 minutes to add your schedule. Once you have it ready you can publish and set it live right away, no need to wait for anyone on the SmartPass team!
1. School Year
Begin by clicking new schedule. Here you will name your school year, and enter your first and last days of school.
If your school uses terms, be sure to add all of your quarters, semesters or trimesters. Add as many terms as needed for the school year. You only need to enter the smallest unit of terms. For example, if you operate on a schedule with 2 semesters and 4 quarters, you only need to enter Q1, Q2, Q3, and Q4. A teacher adding a class for the 1st semester would select Q1 and Q2.
Hit Next when you have this complete.
2. Regular Days
What is a Regular Day?
Regular days are your repeating daily schedules that fit within your overall schedule. Think of these as A day, B day, and other potentially rotating schedules. You may only have one schedule here. If you have schedules that run concurrently, we would consider those multiple schedules.
On this page you can add your schedule(s).
Begin by adding a schedule name and clicking + Add Regular Day
If you have multiple days you can create your A day, B day, or MWF, T/TH type rotating schedules here.
If you have no rotations, you can name your schedule Middle School or High School Schedule, or something similar.
🗓️ If your school has schedules that run concurrently, such as different schedules for 7th and 8th grade, start by entering just 1 of those. You will build your additional schedules afterwards.
After naming the day begin to add your periods/blocks and their times. To add additional periods hit +add period and once you have added all of your periods, hit save.
When considering lunches please review the following:
Incorporating lunches into your schedule
Incorporating lunches into your schedule
Lunches can be a complicated part of your school day. Ensuring this is set up correctly in SmartPass will ensure proper data in the system.
Lunch waves during a single class period:
If you school has lunch during a single period (ie: some students have 4th period, and then go to lunch, some have 4th period, go to lunch, and return to 4th period, and some have lunch first and then have 4th period), then you have what we refer to as lunch waves. Right now lunch waves are "coming soon". You can add the full time block of the period, and you will be able to go back and edit this soon to add your lunches.
Lunch during a single period without differing schedules:
If your lunches are the same length as other classes, and they cause no variations in period times across your school, enter these as regular periods on your schedule.
Lunch periods across multiple periods
If your school has multiple lunches over multiple periods, causing a variation in overlapping period times, you would want to build each of these as independent schedules. For example if you have lunches 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th periods, and that causes all of your bell schedules to be different during the middle of your day you would want to build 4 schedules, one for each of the lunch schedules. Do this using the Add Schedule button on the Schedule tab.
Once all periods are entered click Save. Add any additional rotating days (A/B day, MWF/TH schedules, etc) if needed and click Next.
3. Modified Days
This feature is coming soon, stay tuned! For now you can turn a schedule "off" for the day by adding the day as a holiday.
4. Holidays
We have added several common days in for you already. You can add holidays by clicking + Add Holiday, and remove holidays by clicking the trash symbol. You can also edit the existing holiday's by clicking the pencil symbol. While we work on adding modified schedules into the system, use holidays to turn off schedules for days at deviate from your regular days.
5. Calendar
Here you can set your schedule(s) to repeat. You need to complete this step even if you only have a single regular schedule.
Start by selecting the schedule(s) to repeat/rotate. If you only have a single day, you would select just that one day to set that schedule to your calendar. Next, add your start and end dates. If your schedule rotation is based on the day of the week be sure to select the "skip holidays" box.
You can adjust any changes to rotations or anomalies in your rotation by clicking the edit button on the day in question on your calendar.
To learn more about how to align different schedules to your calendar, click on your schedule type below:
Single Regular Day
Single Regular Day
Ex. Regular Day Schedule
Instructions:
Click on the Repeat Days button in the top-right corner of the calendar
In the Repeat selection field, add your repeating day
In the start date selection, select the earliest date that the regular day occurs on
In the end date selection, select the last date that the regular day occurs on
Click Save
Click through your School Year calendar to ensure everything is correct
A/B Day Rotation
A/B Day Rotation
Ex. A Day and B Day alternating schedules
Instructions:
Click on the Repeat Days button in the top-right corner of the calendar
In the Repeat selection field, add your schedules such as A Day and B Day (and/or all other rotations)
Keep Skip Holidays checked so your rotation skips any holidays added
Note: this only uses the holidays you added in the previous step. If you add in holidays later on in the school year (ex., Snow Day), it will not push the rotation
In the start date selection, select the earliest date when the first day type you chose in the Repeat field occurs on
In the end date selection, select the last date that the rotation occurs on
Click Save
Click through your School Year calendar to ensure everything is correct
Day of the Week Rotation
Day of the Week Rotation
Ex. M/Tu/W/Th/F, 1-week cycle
Instructions:
Click on the “Repeat Days” button in the top-right corner of the calendar
In the Repeat selection field, add M/Tu/W/Th/F schedules in the order of appearance so you have 5 days selected
Deselect Skip Holidays so your day-of-the-week rotation stays on the right day
In the date selection, start on a date that is a Monday
In the end date selection, select the last date that the rotation occurs on
Click Save
Click through your School Year calendar to ensure everything is correct
Ex. M/Tu/W/Th/F, 2-week cycles
Instructions:
Click on the Repeat Days button in the top-right corner of the calendar
In the Repeat selection field, add M/Tu/W/Th/F schedules twice in the order of appearance so you have 10 days selected
Deselect Skip Holidays so your day-of-the-week rotation stays on the right day
In the date selection, start on a date that is a Monday
In the end date selection, select the last date that the rotation occurs on
Click Save
Click through your School Year calendar to ensure everything is correct
Multiple Schedules During the Same Day
If your school has multiple schedules that run on the same day such as grade level specific schedules, you will be able to immediately add your additional schedules by clicking + Add Schedule following adding your first schedule. You will follow the same steps as above.
🗓️ Be sure you are not adding your concurrent schedule as a "day" within your first schedule. To get to the button shown below you will work through adding your first schedule, setting up your holidays, and setting the schedule to the calendar. If you do all of that, you will be able to publish that first schedule, and click the + Add Schedule button to add your next concurrent schedule.
Editing Your Schedule
By clicking the Change Schedule button. Here you will see the Edit Schedule button.
By clicking this you will be directed to the same page you used to create your schedule to make any needed changes.
Deleting Schedules
If you made a schedule in error, and cannot edit it, you can delete it. There are 2 types of schedules you can delete:
Deleting a full schedule
Deleting a full schedule
If you wish to delete a full schedule, you can click the 3 dots in the top right corner of the Schedules tab. This will delete the selected schedule you are viewing, along with any rotating days within that schedule. You cannot delete a schedule once classes are accepted to the schedule.
Deleting a day within a schedule
Deleting a day within a schedule
If you accidentally made a rotating day within a schedule when you meant to add it as a concurrent schedule or if you no longer need a rotating day you can delete that from within the edit schedule feature.
On the Schedule tab click Change Schedule and Edit Schedule. From here locate the schedule in question and delete it by clicking on the trash icon. Days cannot be deleted once classes are accepted to the schedule.
Accepting Synced Classes
One you had added your schedules, the last step to gain the full benefit from this feature is to accept your classes. SmartPass can sync classes from Clever, ClassLink or Google Classroom. You can also manually add classes.
Option 1: Allowing Teachers to Add/Edit Classes
Option 1: Allowing Teachers to Add/Edit Classes
Share this video guide with your teachers on how they can accept their classes from your integration. It will take them around 5 minutes.
💡 Tip: At your next faculty meeting, walk your teachers through how to set this up together. You can review the teacher guide for accepting classes here. Just be sure to remember to toggle your permissions to allow your teachers to accept their classes.
Option 2: Accept the Classes for your Teachers
Option 2: Accept the Classes for your Teachers
Often teachers are super busy, and they may not have time to get things set up. As an admin, you can do this for them.
By clicking Classes on the left you will see all of the classes in your school.
Step 1: Hover over "More Details" and note the information for the class you are setting up. You will want to determine information such as the term and period data.
Step 2: Indicate what room the class is held in and hit Accept to get started. You will then be asked to enter the date(s) and time(s) for the class. Hit Save when you are finished.
Step 3: You are all done! Now this class will show up on the teacher's home screen. At this point, you can set up the remaining classes.
Alternatively, you can toggle to view the classes from list view.
Permissions
Permissions
By clicking Permissions at the top right of your Classes page you will be able to allow or prevent staff from creating or editing and accepting classes.
If you do not have this permission toggled on then teachers will be able to see their classes, but they cannot accept classes.
Teacher Can Create New Classes allows teachers to manually add classes that are not part of the sync. If your school is syncing classes with Clever, ClassLink, or Google then this is toggled off by default. This is toggled on if you are manually adding classes.
Teachers Can Edit Classes allows teachers to not only accept a synced class but also edit and fix it if there is an error message associated with the setup. By default, this is toggled on.
FAQs
How do I know if I set my schedule up properly?
Check out this guide to help you review your set up.
How does SmartPass know my school's class rosters?
SmartPass can sync classes from Clever, ClassLink or Google Classroom. You can also manually add classes. Read more here.
Do you support my schedule type?
Yes. Rest assured we did our homework and studied schedules from many different schools. We can support your schedule regardless of how complex it may be.
Are teachers able to set up their own classes?
Yes, as long as teachers have permission toggled on to do so, they can do this. Share these steps with them.
If I need to add multiple schedules how do I do this?
You can add additional schedules, such as grade level specific schedule one after another. See the step above.
How do I add lunch waves?
We are finalizing a new process for lunch waves. For now please enter the entire time range of the period. We will let you know how to add the lunch times when this is released.
I need to add an additional modified schedule not in SmartPass. How do I do this? (ex- 2 hour delay, pep rally)
This feature is coming soon! In the meantime please enter a holiday for the day in question, this will "turn off" schedules for the day.
I need to add overlapping terms or periods, how do I do this?
We do not currently support overlapping terms. For overlapping periods, please be sure that setting up another schedule, or configuring lunch waves (once released) would not solve your concern. Please reach out via live chat if you have questions.