Schools are high-intensity, densely crowded environments where safety standards are complex and constantly changing. Add in the demands of a pandemic and it’s no wonder that school administrators are under a lot of pressure to prepare for reopening.

The good news is that districts have battle-tested tools and strategies for sustaining safe in-person learning during a pandemic. They just need to be shared with the right stakeholders and communicated in a way that cultivates buy-in for their mitigation strategies.

A digital school portal can consolidate consent forms, class timetables, online information and resources about healthy hygiene, social distancing, and quarantine, and more. It’s a way to connect with parents efficiently in real time and provide them with all the support they need for a successful reopening.

Whether you’re using a free or paid solution, it’s important to ensure that the platform is designed with your school’s brand and color palette so that parents know they can trust the content provided. Also, be sure to include a dedicated section for students and parents to express their opinions or ask questions.

A digital solution is also ideal for collecting official authorization that teachers and staff who attend in-person classes aren’t at risk of spreading coronavirus. For example, a contact tracing form can track location data to identify anyone who has been exposed; while a self-quarantine time-off request can help keep track of educators who are required to work remotely during the pandemic.