An academic calendar is a schedule created by an educational institute for the entire academic year. It marks dates for important events and activities. It should be well-planned and organized.
Let’s have a look at the importance of an academic calendar and how to design one.
Importance of an Academic Calendar
The calendar highlights dates for all the activities and upcoming events in a school, college, or university. Here are the events marked on an academic calendar:
- The starting date for the semester or term
- Examination dates
- Holidays including public holidays, spring break, summer and winter vacations
- Dates for curricular activities such as sports week, school carnival, or open day
- Project submission dates
- Schedule for seminars and workshops
- Dates for terminal exams
- Dates for the declaration and collection of exam results
- PTA schedule
This schedule is planned and created by an institution’s management. It is handed out to the faculty staff, parents as well as students so that they are well informed about all the activities and academic plans for the entire year.
This academic calendar outlines important dates, events, and deadlines for the academic year. It serves as a reference for students, teachers, and staff to stay informed and organized.
Excel File 102 KB
Different Formats of the Calendar
An academic calendar can be designed in various formats. One of the most common ways of presenting information related to the academic plan includes a yearly calendar highlighting noteworthy events and activities. All the important dates are marked on the annual calendar with notes describing each activity.
Alternatively, a list of the important dates is published that mentions the entire schedule. This academic calendar is then either emailed to the concerned individuals or printed for distribution to the same. It may also be available on an institute’s website with easy access to visitors.
#1
You can add all the events and activities for an academic year in one sheet and it appears everywhere according to date.
Excel File 75 KB
How to Design an Academic Calendar
An academic calendar is quite simple. Nevertheless, it needs to be well-organized with a professional-looking layout and formatting. Once the entire schedule for the upcoming academic year has been planned, the next step is to carry out the design process. It is a simple calendar with all the important dates highlighted.
There are professional templates available for this purpose. The users can edit these templates to mark their dates accordingly. Mostly, the visual design of these calendars is the same. The only factors that may differ one from another are the color scheme, font, and formatting.
For an educational institute, the color scheme should be simple to give the calendar a formal look. The institute’s logo and name should be at the top. On the other hand, this document is also signed by the concerned authorities. Typically, it is the institute’s head or principal.
These signatures verify that the calendar is official and has been approved by the administration of the institute. It is also a verification of the fact that all dates and information presented in the calendar are accurate. Next, the element to be focused on is the font of the calendar. It should be readable so that the calendar is presentable. Select a color scheme that is not too flashy. The main focus is the information presented in the calendar.
Once the calendar has been designed, it is important to double-check for any mistakes.
#2
Add any event or activity for the date it falls and print the calendar month-wise.
File: Excel (.xls) 2007+ and iPad
Size 37 KB
The academic calendar is for all grades
An academic calendar is planned at the beginning of every year by the administrative staff of educational institutes. It is created at all levels including schools as well as institutes for higher education. The calendar helps in planning all the academic as well as extra-curricular activities. These include examination sessions, public holidays, vacations, sports events, academic competitions, and other activities. In this way, all these events can take place on time in an organized manner.
An academic calendar is a source of information
Once it has been created, the calendar serves as a source of information for students, parents as well as faculty staff. The concerned individuals can then schedule their personal and family commitments accordingly. In addition, the calendar also informs about important dates for registration, fee submission project deadlines, and so on. This can help students make arrangements accordingly.
An academic calendar is an activity planner
There can be a long list of activities and events in an academic calendar. Therefore, it can take a lot of time to create. However, you can save yourself the trouble of formatting and designing by using a template for this purpose. When a pre-formatted template is available, you can easily focus on planning the overall academic schedule. This calendar can then be printed. Copies can be circulated among students as well as faculty and staff members.
It can be provided as an online resource
On the other hand, an online calendar can also be placed on an institute’s website. In this way, all concerned individuals can have easy access to it. In addition, modifications can also be made. An updated calendar can be created using the same template.
See also:
- Classroom Inventory Template
- Professional Development Tracker Template
- Field Trip Planner and Roster Template
- Student Roster and Information Sheet
- Tutoring & Support Services Log
- School Fees and Payments Tracker
- Scholarship and Financial Aid Tracker
- Teacher Performance Evaluation Tracker
- Counselling & Guidance Record Sheet
- Classroom Supplies & Budget Tracker
- Tuition and Fees Ledger Template
- Fundraising Contribution Record Sheet
- Meal Plan and Cafeteria Fees Tracker
- Expense Sheet for Supplies & Learning Materials
- Behavior Points or Rewards Log
- College & Career Readiness Tracker
- Detention Attendance Tracker
- Suspension & Expulsion Log