How QManager Keeps Schools Safe Through Social Distancing
Pam PrestonThe COVID-19 pandemic is shaping out to be one of the greatest challenges in our nation’s history. The rapid spread of the disease has forced many industries and social sectors to take a break. While some activities may wait before they can safely resume, others, such as the education of our children cannot be in standby forever.
Reopening schools is essential for continuing the educational process. However, it implies exposing everyone involved to major health risks. The Coronavirus transmits from one person to another through touch and proximity. To diminish the probability of transmission, social distancing rules, and recommendations are in place, such as:
- Two persons should maintain a distance of at least 6 feet between them
- People should avoid gathering in large groups
- People should avoid physical contact, including handshakes and hugs
In schools, one of the biggest challenges for enforcing social distancing is children and parents crowding together during dismissal. Large gatherings may facilitate viral infections on a high scale and affect the health of an entire community.
Fortunately, there are easy to implement solutions that use technology to ensure social distancing during the school dismissal process.
One such technology is QManager, a dismissal software app that speeds up dismissal, enhances student safety, and increases administrative efficiency. QManager takes minutes to set up and runs seamlessly on smartphones and tablets. Here is how it works:
- Parents wait in the car
In the morning when parents drop off their children, they can do so without stepping out of their cars. They simply login on QManager and let the teachers know that they have arrived.
The teaching staff then green-light the students’ access into the school in order of their arrival and without breaching social distancing rules.
- Teachers and students stay in their classrooms during dismissal
During dismissal, QManager allows teachers to dismiss students directly from the classroom instead of gathering in the lobby. Parents sign-in on the app using their smartphones as soon as they arrive, and communicate their presence to the teachers.
The app offers the teaching staff a real-time order of the parents waiting outside. Students are dismissed one by one, increasing security and preventing congestion.
- School staff can easily monitor student health
QManager offers parents the option to answer questions that relate to COVID-19 symptoms concerning their children. Queries such as “Did your child have a fever in the last 24 hours?” can give school staff crucial information regarding the health of their students.
These user-friendly features enable school staff and parents to watch over the children’s safety and identify potential infections before an outbreak. Furthermore, parents can communicate this information to school staff from their car, through the app, and without breaking social distancing rules.
As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, schools will need to adapt their operations to keep students and staff safe. Education technology, such as QManager, will be a vital resource in helping schools reopen.