• Everyone can benefit from a crash course in spreadsheet software

  • • There are many courses out there that will walk you through the basics.

      • • I HIGHLY RECOMMEND www.BenLCollins.com 

          • Ben has several different articles and free courses you can follow to gain mastery of each tool within Google Sheets. I learned all the basics from him. He also has a weekly newsletter where he sends out solutions to common problems people have with spreadsheet formulas.

• Google Sheets is the software I use most

  • • It is online and always available from any device.

    • It automatically saves after every edit so no more lost work.

    • The files, like all Google Drive files, are easily shareable with other directors and school staff.

    • Many of the concepts below will likely work just as well on Microsoft Excel but might require slight tweaks to make work.

• Once you become comfortable with Google Sheets, you can use it for almost anything.

• It's like an open box of Legos...

  • • A blank Sheet is an open canvas with which you can accomplish almost any data-related task.

    • Google Sheets allows you to build a list uniquely customized to your program's needs.

    • All you need to do is break down the barrier to entry and give it a try! 😁

• A "Dashboard" is a Google Sheets file you create to easily see all the info you need in one place.

  • • It is uniquely customizable, upgradable, and shareable, as all things are in Google Sheets.

• My TO-DO List is housed here.

  • • I tried using various apps to control and manage my to do list, and many of them were wonderful to use.

    • But the challenge with a to do list is you need to remember to look at it everyday. Having one more app to open regularly was an issue for me. Instead, I just made my Dashboard the first place I go when I get to work.

    • I also included here a "Year-at-a-Glance" (YAG) To do list, so I can see what tasks I did last year at this time.

• My dashboard includes links to all the other Google Sheets files I use daily

  • • This includes links to my Student Data, Inventory, Music Library, and Finances.

    • Throughout the year, I add other links to the dashboard for files I need quick access to regularly, like those used for our 5th-Grade Recruitment or Dallas Trip.

• I even learned how to import a list of upcoming events from a Google calendar, so I can see upcoming events right next to my To-Do List!

• How do you organize your student data?

  • • I learned a long time ago that we band directors need to keep track of more info on our students than most teachers. 

    • We can't just use the default info we see in our district gradebook. 

      • • When is the last time you thought of a band student and didn't immediately associate them with the instrument they play?

        • Can you imagine doing attendance for a band class of 100 alphabetically by last name? 😱

    • For each kid, I need to keep a record of 

      • • What instrument they play

        • Forms they have turned in

        • Bus seating assignments for trips

        • Payments they have made

        • Uniforms checked out 

        • T-shirts sizes

        • Serial numbers for instruments they have checked out from the school

        • and much more!

• Even if you use a paid online service to manage your data (CutTime, Charms, RankOne, etc.), you will still need to keep your own record of students for one reason or another.

  • • I honestly haven't used an online service for many years, simply because I couldn't get the exact customized list of data I needed as easily as I thought I should. So... I got good at Excel and then translated it into Google Sheets.

• What does my student list allow me to do AUTOMATICALLY?

  • • #'s (how many students on a part for each band class?)

      • • Easily printable to hang up next to the copier.

    • Forms (who turned in what form?)

      • • Use pre-built drop down lists for quick entry.

        • Use CountIF formulas in my main student list to mark who has turned it in (makes it easily searchable later).

    • Skyward Import (a special tab where I can import my skyward class list)

      • • Using various filter and sort functions, I can take this information to my main student list and have an always-updated list of who is in what class.

        • I have a similar place to import student contact data from Skyward as well.

    • Email List (Filtered to the exact group of kids/parents I need to message)

    • Custom List Builder (what I call a 'Dynamic Query' or 'DQ')

      • • Using a special set of formula, built around the Query function, I can pull up filtered list of students with exactly the right set of data I need in the right format.

        • This is great for: custom bus lists, shirt size orders, trip payments owed or paid, and custom lists to upload to a paid online service or software program like iDoceo (more on that later...)

    • First day of School stuff (Things to help make the first day of school go smoothly)

      • • Customizable sheet of mailing labels. Good for putting kid's names on instruments, folders, and lockers.

        • Printable Name Tags, formatted to be foldable and hang over a music stand. Good for first day of school seating assignments and learning new names!

... coming soon ...

... coming soon ...

... coming soon ...