Open Seating Chart

Seating Chart / PowerTeacher Reference

Open Seating Chart

From the PowerTeacher start page, click the Seating Chart icon opposite the class of interest.

On the first visit to the Seating Chart for a specific class, you will be asked if you would like to prepopulate the layout.

Clicking OK will add all students to the seating chart screen in alpha order. When student photos are available, they will be displayed. Clicking Cancel will add all students in a column at the left to be added to a custom seating chart design.

Problems Opening Seating Chart

If you encounter a message in Internet Explorer that says your browser is not compatible with the seating chart:

Choose ToolsàCompatibility View to remove the checkmark from the compatibility view.

Seating Chart Tabs

There are two modes to choose in the Seating Chart represented by 2 different tabs. When setting up the Seating Chart, you will want to select the Seating Chart Design tab. When viewing the seating chart and taking attendance you will want to select the Seating Chart tab.

Design Seating Chart

Clearing the Prepopulated Students

To begin designing a seating chart it is sometimes helpful to clear the screen if the students have already been prepopulated into the layout.

This can be done by clicking the Clear All button in the lower left corner of the Seating Chart Design screen.

The students will be displayed in a column to the left of the seating chart grid.

Hiding Student List

To add more space for working on the layout, it is possible to collapse the Add Students column by clicking on the arrow pointing to the left. Clicking the arrow again will expand the student list.

Removing Chairs

After clearing students, there may be chairs (black boxes representing class seats) that remain on the seating chart grid.

To remove the chairs, select the entire area by creating an imaginary box by selecting the upper left to the lower right with your mouse (left mouse button held down). All the selected chairs will now be outlined in orange.

Click the Remove control to delete them.

Adding Seats

There are 3 options for adding seats. The choice you make will depend on the configuration of your room.

Adding Seats by Rows

Clicking on the Rows option allows you to set up a group of seats in a certain number of rows and columns (chairs per row).

Adding Seats by Tables

Clicking on the Tables option to add seats allows you to set up multiple groups of seats separated by an aisle.

Adding Seats by Chair

Clicking on the Chair button allows you to add chairs one at a time. Each can be moved around independently.

Adding Objects

There are other objects that can be added to the seating chart by clicking the button, then moving the object to its desired location. These objects include:

Desks

Boards

Doors

Text

Type in the text and click the checkmark.

Using Controls

There are buttons to Remove selected object(s), Undo commands, and Save changes to the layout.

When there are no selected objects, the Remove button will be dimmed.

When the most recent changes to the layout have already been saved, the Save button will be dimmed.

Adding Students to Chairs

Once the layout is set, the students can be dragged from the panel at the left and dropped into seats.

Removing Student from Seat

To remove a student from a seat, click the black x in the upper left corner. The student will be removed and placed back in the column at the left. The chair will remain.

Populating Students Automatically

Rather than dragging each student to a chair, you can have the program auto populate the chairs for you by clicking the Populate button in the upper left.

This will offer you options to populate the chairs alphabetically, by alternating male and femail students or randomly.

Switching Students

It is possible to switch student seats once the seat chart is created by following the steps below (you will want to have all students in seats before doing the switch):

1. Select both students in Seating Chart Design view.

2. Click one of the arrows that appears to swap the students.

Zoom Slider Bar

Use the slider bar in the upper right corner to increase or decrease the size of the Seating Chart.

Saving New Layout

Click the Edit button next to New Layout.

Give the layout a name and description, then indicate if you want this to be the Default Layout. Making it the default layout will mean that it is the layout that appears by default for that class. Click Save As New.

You will be prompted to confirm this new layout with the Continue button.

If you make additional changes to the layout, just click the Save button to add those changes to the layout.

Taking Attendance with Seating Chart

Click the Seating Chart tab.
Select the Attendance Code and date at the top of the screen.

Click the student picture to add the selected attendance code.
When an attendance code is entered, a comment icon appears. Click the icon to enter an attendance comment on the Edit Comments pop-up.

Enter comment and click OK.
When finished entering attendance and comments, click Submit.

Note: In Internet Explorer 8, if you leave the seat chart and come back to it, the attendance you have taken will not display right away. It will display in the Single Day and Multi-Day views.

Creating a Layout for a New Class

Rather than create a new layout for each class, you can select an existing layout for a different class to use as a template. You can even use layouts from a previous school year.

Creating a Layout from a Template

Select the Seating Chart Design tab for your new class.
Select the [New Layout] option. Make sure it is the one in brackets.
In the box that appears, enter a name and also indicate the source as Start from a pre-existing layout.
Click the Next button.
The Select the Seating Chart pop-up appears. Select the layout you wish to use and choose Finish.

Note 1: In Internet Explorer 8, the seat chart layouts that were created in other classes may not display right away.

6. The layout from the selected class will be displayed.

7. Click the Edit button next to the new layout name to give it a more meaningful name and make it the default layout for that class.

Random Student Selector

Under the Seating Chart tab is a Random Student Selector which allows teachers to randomly select a student on the seating chart in order to promote class participation.

New Students Added to Class

New students added to the class will be immediately available for attendance, even if they have not been assigned a space on the seating chart.

Printing a Seating Chart

The printer icon on the PowerSchool blue bar and FileàPrint in your browser are the same. They will both prompt you to select a printer. You will want to select preferences and landscape.

When you select the printer icon in Internet Explorer it will automatically print in portrait mode.