Feel free to use and adapt to your own school situations the ideas our P-Files principals share below. The annual ritual of putting together next year's class lists can vary greatly from school to school. Often, teachers of one grade meet as a team to create lists based on their collective knowledge of the students' needs. Sometimes teachers of one grade meet directly with teachers of the following grade to plan class lists. Usually, school social workers, counselors, and other support personnel take an active role in the process.
Most schools allow parents to make requests for teachers for the following year.
Some even provide forms on which parents can make those requests. Many principals announce the school's policy regarding parent requests in a school newsletter that goes home to all parents. In order for the class list development process to run smoothly, organization is key. Some schools have adopted specific written policies to guide the process. Among those schools is Orangewood Elementary School in Phoenix, Arizona.