Creating Template Classes

Purpose of Template Classes

As an administrator, you could be using template classes to assist your teachers in various ways.

A template class is most commonly used for gradebook setups by subject and/or graded subject. However, template classes can also be used for class content such as tasks, lesson plans and/or rubrics for specific subjects or graded subjects that the school board would like all teachers to complete with their class. Template classes can also be used for PLC sharing or general collaboration/sharing.

A template class is just like a Class Section, the only difference is there are no students enrolled in the template class and you need to manually create them in StudentsAchieve There is no limit to how many template classes a division/school sets up.

In most cases, you may already have default template classes created on your install. Typically, they are stored on a separate school board and usually named Template Schoolboard and then under the Template Resource School> > Template Track and Template Teacher.

Creating a Template Class

1. Select Manage > Classes > Class Sections

2. Click New to create a new template class.

3. Select the Template Class tab.

4. Enter a Class Section and Label name. Make them easily identifiable.

5. Click Add This Class. Once you’ve added the class, the Class Configuration screen opens.

Template Class – Class Configuration Settings

After you’ve created a new template class, you should review each tab of its class configuration. If you are using the template for a gradebook setup, you should configure the following specific sections:

Configuration Tab

In the Configuration tab's Marks Calc./Grading tab, choose Grading Type Setting to be letter or percent grading. This configuration setting drives what will display when teachers print reports.

Web Settings Tab

The Web Settings tab is for the Parent/Student Portal. It's important you review and configure each section, depending on what your board would like to share with parents and students. If you configure each template class the same, once you push the template class to your teachers, all the teachers will have the same configuration without them having to configure each class individually. This will save them time.

SharingTab

Once you’ve created a new template, you need to publish/share the template with the schoolboard to allow it to be pushed to teachers’ class sections.

1. First, choose where the template is going to be published. In most cases, you publish it to the entire Template Schoolboard, because you want to be able to push the template to your active schoolboard.

2. You can create your own Template Type by adding the name to the box on the far right of the Template Type row. Then, click Add New. Once you’ve done that, you will have a new Template Type in your picklist.

And once you’ve selected the template type, the template label by default is the template class’ name.

3. Now, select which Configuration Groups you want to publish/share. In most cases, you will select all the configuration groups, since you want all the default setup from the template class’ Class Configuration and Classroom Content Organizer to be available to copy to the teacher’s class section.

The Class Settings group is managed through the Details, General Information and Communication tabs of the template class’ Class Configuration.
The Web Settings group is managed through the Web Settings tab of the template class’s class configuration.
The Weighting Setup and Weights tabs are managed through the Marks Calc./Grading tab of the template class’ Class Configuration and/or the Classroom Content Organizer’s Weighting Configuration screen.
The Class Content group is managed through the Classroom Content Organizer. If you enable this option, the system will allow copying of all folders, folder structure and all content from the template class. This could include tasks, lesson plans and/or rubrics.
The Template Permissions group is managed through the Template Permissions tab of the template class’ Class Configuration.

Template Permissions Tab

The Template Permissions tab is where the school board decides what a teacher can change once a template has been pushed to the teacher’s class section. Review each section to ensure you enable or disable what you want your teachers to be able to change.

In this example, all boxes are disabled (no checks in them), so teachers cannot change their gradebook setup.