From teachers to owners to administration, all staff at a dance studio play a unique role in the lives of children and their families. You get to see a student perform their first perfect pirouette or participate in their first recital and you’ll see a parent’s pride in all that their child has accomplished. But, in order to witness these picture-perfect moments, you have to be a pro at prioritizing when it comes to running your dance studio. Whether it is business processes, costume ordering, or managing staff availability – it all takes time. 

When it comes to managing dance teacher availability, there are a few things you can do to make the process easier. Here are a few tips we think are worth remembering next time you start the staff scheduling process.

Plan ahead

As you take time to go over the previous month’s reports, evaluate your staff scheduling. Did one teacher work a significant amount more than others? Is there a correlation between high attendance classes and a specific instructor? By looking at these reports, you can make educated decisions for future staffing. 

After looking at last month, consider the upcoming month. Have your staff requests at hand so you know who has requested time off as you make any necessary adjustments to the schedule. The sooner you can send out the staffing schedule, the sooner your teachers can let you know if there is a conflict or error. 

When the inevitable happens – a teacher calls out sick or a front desk staff member’s car won’t start, have a backup plan! Whether you have a list of trusted teachers to substitute or a cancellation policy that allows your parents to reschedule their child’s class, have a plan to make sure your families won’t show up to an empty dance studio. 

Review your class schedule

How often do your dance teachers teach multiple classes in a day? Create a consistent schedule where your teachers are there for multiple classes per day rather than having classes spread throughout the week. Your staff will thank you for it!

Create a list

You know those people who have lists for their lists? You don’t have to go that far, but keeping a list of staff preferences, limited availability, or who is willing to pick up extra shifts can make scheduling a breeze. Write your list on paper, keep it in an excel doc, create on the notes tab, or add a task on your class management dashboard, whatever is your organizational preference!

Communicate

We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again – communication is one of the biggest indicators of staff satisfaction. When you begin your onboarding process, make sure your new teachers know the process for class scheduling. How far in advance is next season’s schedule created? When should they have their requests to you? How is the schedule sent out when it is finalized? These are all important details to note when it comes to managing your staff. 

Utilize technology

The best way to manage dance teacher availability is to use technology to your advantage. Not only can the right piece of technology allow you to streamline your scheduling process, but it allows your staff to manage their own schedule too. 

Dance studio software that you use to manage every aspect of your business allows you to quickly see which classes you have coming up, see staff availability, schedule shifts, and communicate with teachers. It also allows your staff to adjust their own availability, put in time-off requests, and view the upcoming schedule, making scheduling a breeze.

Managing dance teacher availability can be an overwhelming task. With a little pre-planning, some communication, and lowering chances of human error with a little technology, you can make it a much easier task. 

When it comes to running your dance studio, a class management system can help you see the big picture – especially when it comes to staff scheduling and classes. Start a free trial with Jackrabbit Dance to see how it can help you improve processes at your studio today

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