Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

School Communication System Adds Contact Tracing Features

  • By Dian Schaffhauser
  • 09/14/20

SchoolStatus, which produces a mass notification and communication software-as-a-service platform for schools, has added functionality to enable contact tracing reporting and tracking. According to the company, the new feature follow guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control, to help schools communicate when or if a student or teacher tests positive for COVID-19.

In the case of a student, for example, the contact tracing report feature could be used to generate a list of the infected person's current schedule, the names of teachers involved, and names and ID numbers of all students who could have also come into contact. The idea is to enable school leaders to communicate to those on the contact tracing report to take precautionary measures. The system also monitors quarantine start and end dates to determine when somebody can return to school.

Communications deployed through SchoolStatus are received as one-to-one messages, enabling families to reply directly and privately with questions and concerns.

All communications are logged and recorded within the application, to maintain an audit trail of outreach activities.

"Having a single place to generate contract tracing reports and track student's COVID-19 quarantine data is critical for our district. During these tough times, every minute of every day counts." Michelle Bivens, superintendent of Pontotoc City School District, in a press release. The district has been using SchoolStatus for "multiple years," Bivens noted.

"We understand that schools will need to frequently communicate with the school community this fall. This communication needs to be more than a general mass message because guardians will have questions and need quick answers," added company CEO, Russ Davis. "We're proud to pair these new contact tracing capabilities with our two-way communication platform to ensure that the families are informed and students are safe and comfortable in their learning environment."

About the Author

Dian Schaffhauser is a former senior contributing editor for 1105 Media's education publications THE Journal, Campus Technology and Spaces4Learning.

Featured

  • Secret to Efficient, On-Time School Infrastructure & Modernization Projects is All in the Preparation

    Warmer weather and longer days make summer the ideal time for construction and modernization projects at educational facilities. School boards and construction firms must coordinate effectively to ensure that these projects do not extend even a single day into the school year and impede classroom operation.

  • Girl Sitting at Library Desk, Using Laptop

    How Campus Design Shapes the Finals Week Experience

    Academic performance is not just about preparation. It is closely tied to how students manage stress, maintain their energy, and shift between work and recovery modes. Much of that is influenced, directly or indirectly, by design.

  • Agricultural Sciences Complex

    Agricultural Sciences Complex

    Established in 1999, the Education Design Showcase is a vehicle for showing off innovative — yet practical — solutions in planning, design, architecture, and construction. The College of Western Idaho's Agricultural Sciences Complex has been recognized with an EDS 2026 Grand Prize award in the category of New Construction.

  • CU-Lock Haven Receives $1.75M Gift for New Entrepreneurship, Media Center

    Commonwealth University-Lock Haven in Lock Haven, Penn., recently received a $1.75-million donation from entrepreneur and alumnus Nicholas Subich ’17, according to a university news release. The funds will go toward establishing the Nicholas Subich Center for Entrepreneurship and Media, a technology-driven hub for innovation and experiential learning.