September 15, 2017

Dear Parents,

This summer, in an effort to improve communication and data accuracy, Pingry began the process of consolidating its databases into a single, community-wide information system, which will be used across all school departments and offices. This new database is provided by the company Veracross, and Pingry will rely on it for contact information, student grades, scheduling, re-enrollment, and much more. Veracross will serve as the central repository that powers Pingry's other systems, such as Schoology (Pingry's new Learning Management System introduced to Grades 6-12 this year), Magnus Health, and the Parent Portal on pingry.org. Rest assured, you will only need one username and password to access all of this software and, as a result, all Pingry services.

As we unroll this new database, we ask all Pingry families to complete three important steps:

(1). First, reset your password: Later today, you will receive an email from Veracross (from a different sender than the broadcast emails that you typically receive ...we're testing the new system out!). The email will contain a link allowing you to reset your password in order to establish single sign-on capability to all Pingry services. (Your system-wide username must be the full email address at which you receive communication from Pingry, and you may retain your old Parent Portal password, as long as it meets Veracross's password requirements.) After you reset your password, entering your credentials once at the Parent Portal login page—accessed through the purple lock at the top right of any pingry.org page—will enable you to access all Pingry services. This includes the Parent Portal, already offered through pingry.org, as well as your child's grade reports, schedule, and additional features available through the Family Directory, such as searching for Pingry families within a 10-mile radius of your home address.

(2) Review your family's contact information: Consolidating multiple databases into one is a challenge, admittedly. Staff from multiple departments have spent hundreds of hours verifying the information in our new school information system, but we anticipate that some families will find remaining discrepancies. So, the most pressing need, now that the Veracross system is  "live," is to verify that all contact information for your family is correct and that the Family Directory reflects your preferences regarding what information is shared with other Pingry families. We ask for your help in reviewing and verifying this information for each member of your family, and requesting any changes that may be necessary.

To review your family's contact information as it is viewed by other community members through the Family Directory, click on the purple lock at the top right of any pingry.org page, log on to the Parent Portal through pingry.org using your full email address and new password, and click the Veracross button in the upper left-hand corner of the page. Click on the "Directories" telephone icon and search for your child's last name. In the search results, you can review basic information shared through the Family Directory. Due to system settings, please be aware that Pingry email addresses are listed for all students, even those too young to actually use one.

(3) Add information or request changes as necessary: From the Family Directory page, return to the main screen by clicking "Parent Portal" at the very top of the screen. Next, click the "Update Family Profile" button. Using this form, you may request changes to existing information related to any member of your family, or you may add contact information. Updates involving relationship changes or adding new family members, etc. can be communicated in a "Notes" field.

A note on cell phone numbers: Pingry has partnered with a new emergency notification provider, SchoolMessenger, which also receives your family's contact information from the Veracross database. We ask that you please enter your child's mobile phone number, if he or she has one and regardless of whether you would like it displayed on the Family Directory. This will allow us to use text messaging as an additional way to communicate emergency messages.

All requested updates will be reviewed by a staff member and, once approved, will appear within the database and be accessible to faculty and staff. A more limited version of this data will be visible to Pingry families. Upon review, if we have any questions, we will contact you. During the initial launch of Veracross, we will seek to implement requested changes within three school days. In time, it is our hope to accelerate the approval process.

Please be sure to (1) reset your password,(2) review your family's contact information, and (3) add information or request changes as necessary, no later than Monday, September 25.

To help guide you, a short video tutorial is available. If you have questions about changing your password or accessing Pingry services, please contact Brian Burkhart, Director of Educational and Information Technology, at bburkhart@pingry.org. If you have questions related to communications preferences, please contact Dale Seabury, Director of Strategic Communications and Marketing, at dseabury@pingry.org. During this bustling time, we are committed to replying to inquiries within two school days. Thank you for your patience and partnership.

Sincerely,

Brian Burkhart

Director of Educational and Information Technology

Dale Seabury

Director of Strategic Communications and Marketing