So far in Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3 of the series, I've explained why we're changing our systems, how Veracross will serve as our new core database, and introduced Toddle as our new learning management system. This time I turn our attention to systems that may not be part of our daily routine but are critically important to student wellbeing: health management, student life management, and emergency communication. Parents will actually start using one of these systems within the week!
Current parents know the annual routine of updating medical history, uploading physicals and insurance cards, and sharing immunization records. This information helps our health center provide proper care and meet state requirements. When students visit for even routine needs—a bandage or over-the-counter medicine—the treatment is tracked and parents receive notifications.
For emergency management, most families associate our current system with weather-related text alerts, though it serves broader purposes for campus-wide communication during various situations. Our faculty use it to account for students during drills and emergencies.
These systems are especially vital for our boarding program. Boarding families are familiar with how we manage students leaving and returning to campus—from leave requests and approvals to coordination with school trips and daily house check-ins. Knowing where students are at all times is a critical responsibility. We also use similar tools for day students leaving campus during school hours.
Currently, this information is shared through our website and emails. For example, faculty can access student emergency contacts, or a duty teacher can view any restrictions on a boarding student's campus privileges.
Magnus Health is a comprehensive system with a long-established presence in independent schools. Parents will submit the same health information as before, but with several notable improvements:
Mobile-friendly access, including a dedicated app, for submitting and updating information
Ability to update health details throughout the year, not just annually
Enhanced security for sensitive health records as technology evolves
Improved tracking of health center visits
Better communication with parents about treatments
Comprehensive medication management
For example, when your child visits the health center for a headache or runny nose, you'll promptly receive a notification with visit details. If your child requires daily medication, the system ensures proper administration regardless of which staff member is on duty or if an administrator is responding after hours. Parents can immediately update allergies, emergency contacts, or insurance information online without waiting for the next annual update.
Reach will handle both student life management and emergency communications. For boarding families, this means:
More detailed and flexible leave request and approval processes
Enhanced tools for duty faculty to document student behavior and identify trends
Better options for tracking student locations and activities
The emergency system improves our ability to communicate quickly in various situations, with direct integration to our Veracross database ensuring contact information stays current. Faculty will find the system more efficient for accounting for students during drills or actual emergencies. Whether we're announcing a snow day or coordinating an evacuation, you'll receive timely notifications with clear instructions via text and email.
Within the next week, we'll launch Magnus Health for parents to begin uploading student health information for summer and next year. This will be parents' first experience with our new systems, starting with setting up their Veracross account and getting a first look at the new Parent Portal. Watch for an email with detailed instructions on getting started.
Reach will be introduced later this summer. We've been working diligently behind the scenes to prepare both systems for a smooth transition.
Everyone supporting these systems knows the transition will require some patience—we've certainly needed it during the implementation process! While there may be occasional hiccups, we're committed to resolving them quickly. These improvements will enhance our ability to care for students and maintain a safe community.
With this blog, I've now introduced all of our new systems for the upcoming year! In the next blog, I'll focus on practical considerations, such as navigating among multiple platforms, new procedures, and also familiar features that will be changing. Do you have questions related to our health and safety systems? Any thoughts or concerns about how things will be different next year? Or suggestions on what steps will make the transition easier? Please share them using our Information Systems Questions form.
Catch up on previous blogs in this series:
