SchoolPass FAQ

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List of 16 items.

• How do I get started with the app?

  You can download the SchoolPass app for free from the Apple App Store or Android Google Play Store. 
  
  Returning Ancona families were automatically set up with accounts when we launched SchoolPass in early 2023.
  
  New families will receive an email with login information in early July, prior to the start of the upcoming school year (or a few days after signing the enrollment contract if enrolling after July). Please add registrar@anconaschool.org to your contacts to ensure that this email doesn't go to spam. 
  
  If you have an account and you can’t locate your login information, click on the “Forgot your password” link in the app, and use the email address you have on file with Ancona when prompted.
  
  This video demonstrates App Download & Login Steps. If you need help, email support@schoolpass.com for more app-related issues or registrar@anconaschool.org for Ancona-specific questions.

• How do I use the app to let Ancona know about attendance changes?

  Click the “+” button on the home screen to get started making attendance changes in SchoolPass. Parents should use this app to inform the school about upcoming absences, late arrivals, and early dismissals; both office staff and relevant teachers will get notifications about these changes. Click on this link to watch a video about Making Absence Changes in the App.
  
  

  Keep In Mind: The system will not allow same-day changes after 2 pm. Please call the main office or send an email to attendance@anconaschool.org (and copy your child’s teacher) if you need to make last-minute changes.

• How do I make sure to get emergency notifications?

  SchoolPass allows users to opt-in for both push and SMS (text message) notifications. As of the 2023-24 school year, this is the method we use to communicate to families quickly during an emergency, so it is important to opt-in. If you miss a notification, we will also always communicate emergency information via email. SMS 
  
  To allow SMS notifications, click on the "View Profile" button and then Notification Settings to opt-in for SMS and push notifications. Notifications come from the number: +1 (443) 842-7197. New users will also be prompted to turn on push notifications when first logging into the app.
  
  Note: Certain communications such as the test message sent at the beginning of each school year do not include the "App Notification."

• How do I let Ancona know if someone other than a parent is picking up?

  In SchoolPass, each family has a “carpool” that includes all parents/guardians as “drivers” by default. These "carpools" are pre-populated in the system, so if your student is being picked up by another Ancona family, you can add your student to the other family's carpool without having to enter any additional information. This can be done on a recurring basis or for a single date or date range. 
  
  You can also add non-Ancona individuals as "drivers" in your family carpool if they will be picking up your student (i.e. grandparents, caregivers, etc). By adding additional drivers, you are letting the school know that these people are authorized to pick up your child(ren). This list can be adjusted at any time. 

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• Who gets notified when I make a change to a carpool or attendance?

  When you make a change to carpool and/or attendance, both the main office staff and the student’s teacher(s) will be notified automatically. In addition, all faculty and staff members can look up the status of any student and can view a dashboard of changes. 

• If I let the school know that my child is ill and will be absent via SchoolPass, do I also have to reach out to the nurse directly?

  Nurse Kait monitors absences and the accompanying notes entered by families into SchoolPass, so it is not usually necessary to send a separate communication. However, you can email nurse@anconaschool.org if you have questions or concerns.

• Why does Ancona use SchoolPass?

   SchoolPass represents a huge step forward in campus safety. In addition to features like attendance and carpool management that the parent app provides, we are now using its Emergency Communication and Visitor Management systems school-wide, both of which work in tandem with My Ancona and the information you submit using the SchoolPass app. 

• How late in the day may I use SchoolPass to make changes?

  2 pm is the cut-off for changing carpools and attendance in SchoolPass for the current day. Please contact your child's teacher and/or the main office directly for necessary changes after this. This limitation is in place to ensure that teachers are notified in time to follow through on requested changes.

• I see that I can add information about Arrival carpools in addition to Dismissal—is this necessary?

  In short, no. While it might occasionally be useful for Ancona to know which students carpool together in the morning, it’s not necessary to enter this information.

• What if my child goes to After School or needs to self dismiss?

  You can indicate that your child should be sent to After School on given days by selecting the carpool "99999 Send to After School." It is best found by searching the word "After" when using the "Select Carpool" feature. Just like other carpools, this can be done both individually and on a recurring basis.
  
  New for 2024-2025, there is a self dismissal option for 5th-8th grade students. By choosing the carpool “99998 Self Dismissal (for 5th-8th students)”, you give the school permission to allow the student to self dismiss (leave independently) during dismissal time.
  
  

  • These video instructions will walk you through the process in detail.
  • Here is a link to additional visual  instructions about this process.

• How does SchoolPass gather information about my family?

  SchoolPass is linked to the data in My Ancona for families with currently enrolled students. Things like parent names, phone numbers, email addresses, and family relationships are automatically synced every day so that SchoolPass always has the same information as My Ancona. The system also syncs classroom information so that teachers/advisors can receive notifications about their students. 
  
  This connection between My Ancona and SchoolPass means that new family logins in SchoolPass aren't available until the family is officially enrolled at Ancona (usually by early July for families entering Ancona in the fall). Once officially enrolled, the SchoolPass system will automatically send emails with login instructions to parents/guardians. 

• What is the Visitor Management System and how does it interact with attendance?

  We us the Visitor Management System to keep track of exactly which students are in the building at any given time. This is especially important in the event of an emergency.
  
  Students being dismissed early or arriving late (after 9 am) will be asked—usually with the help of a parent—to check in or check out using the SchoolPass Visitor Management System. This is required even if you have recorded a late arrival or early dismissal in the SchoolPass parent app. Late arrivals and early dismissals are also recorded in My Ancona and ultimately listed on progress reports.

• If I add drivers to my carpool, does this replace the Health Emergency Contacts I listed in Magnus Health?

  By adding a driver to your carpool in SchoolPass, you are adding that person as someone authorized to pick up your child.
  
  Until 2023-24, the Health Emergency Contacts portion of the Vital Health Record in Magnus Health doubled as the list of those authorized to pick up your child. As of Fall, 2023 the Health Emergency Contacts will still be collected, but they will be used only in case the parents can't be reached in an emergency. 
  
  An individual should be listed as both a driver in SchoolPass and as a Health Emergency Contact in Magnus Health if they will pick up the student regularly and should be contacted in case the parents can't be reached in an emergency. 

• Why do I see a spot for “Bus” as an option?

  This option is in the tool by default and should be ignored. Ancona doesn’t use buses for its pick-up or drop-off process. 

• Are there additional videos I can watch about making attendance

  Yes! Below are links to two additional training videos:
  

  • Making Early Pickup Changes in the App
  • Making Late Arrival Changes in the App

• Why won’t SchoolPass let me make changes such as adding a “driver” to my carpool?

  Only the parent/guardian designated as “primary” in SchoolPass can make certain changes. Please email registrar@anconaschool.org to request a change to the "primary" parent/guardian.