Scheduling conferences without a week of email

Scheduling twenty conferences by email takes a week of back and forth. One family can only do Tuesday mornings, another replies to the wrong thread, two families pick the same time, and somebody is still unbooked the day before. Instead, publish a fixed set of slots, let families book their own, follow up with the few who don't, and send reminders so people arrive on time.

Set the slots before you tell anyone

Decide the whole schedule first. Work out:

• Which days. Most schools set aside a few afternoons or one or two full days. Check the school calendar for closures and other events.
• Slot length. Pick one length for every family. Twenty minutes is common for a primary class.
• Gaps. Add five minutes between meetings to write notes and reset the folder.
• Breaks. Block a longer break every couple of hours, and one for lunch on a full day.
• Where. In the classroom, a quiet room, or by video. If you offer both, say which slots are which.
• Extra slots. Publish a few more slots than you have families. Put a few early-morning or evening times in the list for families who work during the day.

Write the slots out as a list of dates and times before you share anything. Once families start booking, keep the slots fixed.

Let families book their own time

Choose one way for families to book and use it for every family. A shared sign-up sheet, a booking page or a paper list at pickup all work, as long as each slot can be taken by only one family and everyone can see what's left.

Send one message that includes everything a family needs:

Fall conferences are on October 20 and 21. Each meeting is 20 minutes, in the classroom. Please book one time by Friday, October 9, using the link below. If none of the times work, reply to this message and I'll find another option. Siblings are welcome to stay in the hall with a book.

Keep the deadline about a week before the first conference day. That gives you time to chase the families who haven't booked and to prepare for every meeting in the order it happens.

When two parents live in separate households, ask whether they'd like one meeting together or two separate ones. Offer two slots if they ask, and don't assume either way.

Follow up with the families who don't book

On the day after the deadline, make a list of families with no booking. Contact each one personally: a short message, a phone call or a word at pickup.

Hi, I don't see a conference time for Maya yet. The open times left are Tuesday at 3:40 or Wednesday at 4:20. Would one of those work?

Offering two specific times works better than sending the whole list again. If neither works, find a time that does. Every family should have a conference, including the ones who are hardest to reach.

For families who need an interpreter, arrange it now and book a longer slot.

Send reminders before each meeting

Send two reminders: one about a week before the conference days, and one the day before each meeting.

The first can go to every booked family at once:

Reminder: your conference is on Tuesday, October 20 at 3:40, in the classroom. If you need to change your time, let me know by Friday.

The day-before reminder goes to each family individually and includes the room, the time, and how long the meeting runs. If a meeting is by video, include the link in this message.

If a family cancels, offer the open slot to anyone who asked for a different time. Keep a short list of those families as requests come in.

On the days themselves

Print the day's schedule and tape it inside the classroom door. Put a clock where you can see it. Put a chair and a book basket in the hall for families who arrive early.

Keep each meeting to its time. When five minutes are left, say so. If a family needs more time, book a follow-up meeting for another day and end the current one on time.

If your school uses FutureNerds, you can publish your available times as office hours in the app. Families choose a slot and confirm the booking themselves, and each one appears under your Upcoming Bookings, so you can see who has booked and which times are still open.