Let’s construct our school calendar the easy way! That’s what we’re talking about today.

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Why School Calendars Matter

This time of year, school systems are putting together calendars for the next school year. Education is a very cyclic business—

  • The same holidays occur around the same time each year.
  • Grading periods end at roughly the same time annually.
  • Report cards go home at predictable times.

However, there’s a challenge. Some events, like a Veterans Day program, won’t fall on the exact same date every year. One year, it might be November 8th; another year, it might be November 10th, depending on where the weekends fall. Because of this, you can’t simply create a yearly repeating event.

But today, we have a solution!

A Question from a Principal

One summer day, I received an email from Marissa Donovan, principal at Clarks Creek Elementary in Indiana and a member of my email list. She wrote:

“I love your tips on productivity, so I’m reaching out for an idea if you have one. As a school principal, I’m working on next year’s calendar. It’s convenient to list all upcoming dates on a spreadsheet, but we use Google Calendar to actually keep track of them and send invites. After spending hours on the spreadsheet, I feel like there should be an easier way to automate creating events in Google Calendar.”

Great question, Marissa! And the good news is—there is a way to do it.

The Step-by-Step Process

1. Create a Spreadsheet

First, just like Marissa did, create a spreadsheet with all your repeating events. List all:

  • Assemblies
  • PTA meetings
  • Committee meetings
  • Faculty meetings

The best way to start is by looking at your current calendar. Identify the events that will recur next year and list them in the spreadsheet.

2. Structure the Spreadsheet Correctly

Your columns must be in a specific order and labeled correctly.

  • Subject
  • Start Date
  • Start Time
  • End Date
  • End Time
  • All Day Event
  • Description
  • Location
  • Private

3. Brainstorm Events

Look at your current school year calendar and transfer all annual events to the spreadsheet. If you’re in business instead of a school, this method works for:

  • Board meetings
  • Inventory dates
  • Pay dates
  • Other recurring events that don’t fall on the same exact day each year
Exporting Google Sheet to Gogle Calendar

4. Save the Spreadsheet as a CSV File

This is crucial—Google Calendar does not import directly from a spreadsheet. You must save it as a CSV file.

5. Import the CSV File into Google Calendar

Once your CSV file is ready:

  1. Open Google Calendar.
  2. Click the cog icon and select Settings.
  3. Choose Import & Export.
  4. Select which calendar to import to.
  5. Locate and upload your CSV file.

6. Adjust Multi-Day Events

If you have multi-day events (e.g., teacher workdays), be aware that Google Calendar may cut them one day short. To avoid this, set the end date one day later than you actually need.

After importing, Google Calendar will confirm the number of events successfully imported. You can now check your calendar to ensure everything appears correctly.

7. What If I Add Additional Dates After Doing the Export?

Simply add these new dates to your CSV file and go through the export and import steps again. Google will add the new events to your calendar without duplicating the existing ones.

A Practical Example: Volleyball Schedule

If you’re a volleyball coach, you can use this same method to create your schedule. Follow the same format:

  • The start date and end date columns should be identical for single-day events.
  • Copy and paste start times where needed.
  • Add descriptions (e.g., admission prices, game details) in the description column.
  • Include venue addresses in the location column—Google Calendar will convert them into clickable Google Maps links.

Handling Multiple Calendars

If you manage different types of events for different audiences (faculty, parents, extracurricular activities), create separate spreadsheets for each calendar. Then:

  1. Save each as a CSV file.
  2. Import each file into the correct Google Calendar.

The Long-Term Benefit

Next year, you won’t have to create a new spreadsheet from scratch! Simply update the dates, save as a CSV file, and import again.

For sports schedules, many games will repeat against the same opponents, so you won’t be starting from a blank slate—just tweak the necessary details.

Technology tools work together, and learning small automation techniques like this can save you hours every year.

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