For private schools
Class list software for private and independent schools
Families choosing an independent school expect their children to be known, not sorted. Keep student relationships and placement rules alongside draft class lists, so your team can check each section before sharing it.
Where private-school placement gets delicate
Smaller cohorts and closer relationships raise the stakes on every decision. A misplaced pairing is noticed quickly.
Every family knows every other family
In a tight community, one awkward pairing travels fast. You need to honor the requests that matter without turning the roster into a negotiation you cannot win.
Reputation rides on small numbers
With two or three sections per grade, a single unbalanced room is a larger share of the whole grade. The margin for a quiet mistake is thin.
Placement history lives with one person
When the admissions director or division head keeps the reasoning in their head, a staffing change can wipe out years of context about which students thrive together.
How Shibutz supports an independent school
The goal is not automation for its own sake. It is a defensible, repeatable process that survives a change in staff and a hard conversation with a family.
- 1
Bring your existing roster in as it is
Import from Excel or your SIS export and keep the details that matter for your community, from support needs to the relationships your teachers already know.
Read the roster setup guide - 2
Record the relationships families care about
Set pairing preferences and separation rules for siblings, supportive friendships, and students who need distance. Check these relationships when reviewing the draft.
Set student preferences - 3
Keep a record any division head can pick up
Use saved rules and results to prepare a staff handoff, so a change in placement owner does not mean starting from memory.
Review placement results
A grade with two sections and no margin for error
A K-8 independent school splits each grade into two sections. This year the third grade has a set of twins the family wants separated, three students who need reading support, and a friendship the teachers agree should stay intact for one more year.
The admissions director imports the roster, marks the twins as a keep-apart pair, records learning-support levels, and adds the friendship as a pairing preference. The team checks both proposed sections before approval.
When a board member asks how placements are decided, the head of school opens the workspace and walks through the rules that shaped the lists. The process is the same one the school will use next year, whoever is sitting in the chair.
Questions from private and independent schools
- We only have two sections per grade. Is this still useful?
- Yes. With only two sections, one demanding mix can affect half the grade. Compare class sizes, gender counts, and support profiles before approving the lists.
- Can we honor sibling and family relationships?
- You can record pairing preferences and separation rules for siblings or other students. Review the draft to see which requests were met.
- What happens when our admissions director leaves?
- Prepare a handoff while the current placement owner still has account access. Saved rosters, rules, and results can support that review; workspaces are tied to individual accounts.
- Is student data handled carefully?
- Your roster is saved with your account and processed by the placement service when you generate or export lists. Include only information your school approves. Review the data-handling details below before uploading student records.
- Can we try Shibutz before paying?
- Yes. Free includes 1 class list, up to 25 students per class list, and 3 placement generations per class list. Pro is $199/year and includes unlimited class lists, students, and placement generations, XLSX export for staff review, and billing management for invoices, payment details, and subscription status. Compare Free and Pro on the pricing page.
Know where student data goes.
Before adding a roster, understand how Shibutz uses your information and check your school's privacy requirements.
- Sign-in and profile
- Clerk handles account sign-in and the profile details you choose to save.
- Roster and results
- Your rosters, placement rules, settings, and saved results are linked to your account.
- Generation and export
- When you generate or export a placement, the Shibutz placement service processes the roster and placement details needed for that request.
- School approval
- Use only student information your school has authorized you to share. Review our privacy details before uploading a roster.
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Give your placement process the care your families expect
Record the relationships that matter, review each section, and keep the decisions ready for a staff handoff.