How to Organize PE Classes, Students, and Runs Without the Chaos

April 2026 · 5 min read

You teach 6 classes a day. Each class has 25-40 students. Some students are in multiple groups. New students show up mid-year. Others transfer out. And someone just asked you for a list of every student's total distance this semester.

If your system is a binder, a spreadsheet, or a stack of printouts — it's only a matter of time before something falls through the cracks. Here's how to set up a system that actually works.

Start with Groups, Not Individual Students

The biggest mistake is organizing by student name. You end up with a giant alphabetical list where 3rd Period and 6th Period are mixed together, and you can't see who's in which class without scrolling.

Instead, organize by groups. Each group represents a class period, a grade level, or however you naturally think about your students:

• "Morning PE - K/1st"
• "Midday PE - 2nd/3rd"
• "Afternoon PE - 4th/5th"
• "Coach Smith's 6th Grade"

When you start a run, you pick a group. Only those students show up. No scrolling past 200 names to find the 30 kids in front of you.

Getting Students In: Three Ways

QR Codes: Print Once, Use All Year

Once students are in the system, print their QR code cards. Each student gets a unique card with their name and scannable code.

• Go to Settings → QR Codes
• Select a group
• Click "Download QR Codes" — generates a PDF with business-card-sized cards
• Print, cut, laminate (optional but recommended)

Most teachers keep a class set in a bin by the gym door. Students grab their card at the start of PE and drop it back after. No lost cards, no reprinting.

Running a Session

This is the core workflow, and it takes about 5 seconds to start:

1. Open the app on your phone
2. Tap "Start a Run"
3. Select the group
4. Tap "Start Run"
5. Scan QR codes as students pass

Each scan records a lap with a timestamp. The app says the student's name out loud so you know it worked without looking at your screen. When class is over, tap "Stop Run" and you get an instant summary: laps per student, total distance, and attendance.

End of Year: Bulk Actions

When the school year ends, you don't have to delete and re-create everything. Running Kiddos has bulk actions for common end-of-year tasks:

• Promote grades — Select all students, click "Promote." Every student's grade moves up one level (K→1, 1→2, etc.)
• Deactivate graduates — Select graduating students, click "Deactivate." They're removed from active lists but their data is preserved
• Reassign groups — Move students to new class periods in bulk

All historical data stays intact. If an administrator asks "How did last year's 3rd graders do?" the data is still there.

Multiple Teachers, One School

If your school has multiple PE teachers, everyone can use the same account. Each teacher logs in with their own email. All teachers see the same students and groups. When Coach A scans laps for Morning PE, Coach B can see the results from their own phone or computer.

Admin users can add and remove teacher accounts from the Settings page. No IT department needed.

The Result: Everything in One Place

When it all comes together, your organization system looks like this:

• Groups match your class periods
• Students are assigned to groups with their grade level
• QR cards are printed and ready in a bin
• Runs are recorded automatically when you scan
• Reports pull from real data, not your memory
• Search and filter by name, group, or grade to find any student in seconds

No binder. No spreadsheet. No "I think she ran 7 laps but I'm not sure."