Parents Create COVID-Screening App for Schools

  • By Yvonne Marquez
  • 07/21/20

Dr. Brian Benson, a family physician and his wife, Kaley Benson developed a symptom-screening software for schools, reports a local news station.

The parents have three kids who attend Louisiana Key Academy, a charter school for children with dyslexia. The school is the first in the region to return to the classroom with new safety protocols in place.  

To aid in a safe reopening, the Bensons created a software called Cleared4School, which is currently being used at LKA. Each school day a parent answers 11 questions related to COVID-19 symptoms, including if their child has had a loss of taste or smell in the last three days. Once the parent has finished the survey and cleared, the child is able to enter the building.

 “You feel more comfortable trusting your child in that environment, and the teachers feel more comfortable because all of the kids have been screened,” Kaley told news station, WBRZ2.

The online program relies on the honor system. According to the Cleared4School website, no symptoms and no names are recorded.

The Bensons are talking to other school districts to see if they would like to implement the software.

About the Author

Yvonne Marquez is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. She can be reached at ymarquez@1105media.com.

Featured

  • Fort Collins to Convert 1980s Office Park into Junior High School

    The Liberty Common School, a charter-public school in Fort Collins, Colo., recently broke ground on an adaptive reuse project that will convert an 1980s-era office park into a 45,000-square-foot junior high school for seventh- and eighth-grade students, according to a news release.

  • Boosting Student Wellness and Safety Through Indoor-Outdoor School Spaces

    Engaging students through facilities designed for indoor and outdoor learning and activities reflects a growing awareness of how children learn and thrive, with educators recognizing the importance of getting outside and disconnecting from technology. And, as today’s youth grapple with the urgent mental health crisis of increased anxiety and loneliness fueled by both the pandemic and technology, along with a related crisis in youth physical health, the wellness benefits of getting outside have never been so palpable.

  • modern college building with circuit and brain motifs

    Anthropic Introduces Claude for Education

    Anthropic has launched a version of its Claude AI assistant tailored for higher education institutions. Claude for Education "gives academic institutions secure, reliable AI access for their entire community," the company said, to enable colleges and universities to develop and implement AI-enabled approaches across teaching, learning, and administration.

  • Active Learning Classroom

    Striking a Balance: The Keys to Renovating Science Education Buildings for the 21st Century

    The recent renovation of the Durham Science Center at the University of Nebraska-Omaha (UNO) provides a roadmap for facilities managers tasked with balancing budget constraints, modern pedagogical demands, and long-term sustainability.