Step beyond the classroom doors and we find a world of possibilities in extracurricular activities. Taking a standard education and turning it into something holistic, these activities range from the melodies of music to the cheers of sports, strategic debates, artistic performances and more. 

With a wealth of research backing the benefits, these extracurricular adventures aren't just an after-school pastime; they're key players in a student's triumph and wellbeing. Academic success, mental health and social skills are just some of the rewards of participating in extracurricular activities. The classroom imparts knowledge, but these activities? They dish up a different kind of wisdom.

With all this in mind, it’s not surprising that parents put significant focus on this part of their child’s education. Meaning your school should too. Enter Digistorm’s powerful integration with Clipboard—a dynamic and purpose-built extracurricular management solution.

Back to basics on understanding extracurricular activities 

Extracurricular activities encompass everything beyond the standard education curriculum—that means all the structured, joyful lessons that take place outside the classroom! From music to sports, code clubs to debating, performing arts and everything in between, these activities play a pivotal role in setting students up for success. 

Time and time again, research has shown that involvement in extracurriculars is directly linked to improved academic results and positive mental health outcomes for students. Extracurricular activities can also improve social skills and give life lessons that can’t be found in the confines of the school program.

In recognising the significance of these extracurricular activities, schools offer a wide range of options to deliver this value to their students. But managing and coordinating these activities can be a complex task that requires time-consuming administrative processes and a whole lot of parent communication. That’s where Clipboard steps in! 

What is Clipboard?

Clipboard is an extracurricular management system, or ‘EMS’, designed specifically to empower schools to provide great activities for their students. Their purpose-built, user-friendly platform enables schools to streamline administrative processes and eliminate double-handling, whilst improving communication among staff, students, and parents. With improved communication and enhanced visibility comes the mother of all perks: improved child safety

Your school’s student information systems (SIS) and learning management system (LMS) already handle a lot, making it nearly impossible for them to also effectively cater to the full breadth of extracurricular requirements. 

Using an EMS like Clipboard offers superior data security and clear data visibility between multiple coaches, instructors and teachers. With Clipboard, schools can sidestep the many complexities that arise from having multiple systems and procedures for managing extracurricular programs. Having a centralised hub for extracurricular activities is a win-win for everyone. 

Who is Digistorm?

Here at Digistorm, we’ve been building custom school app solutions, websites, and admissions platforms for K-12 schools across the globe since 2011.

Our plug-and-play solution offers various custom and standard modules to choose from so that our schools can have the perfect communication tool for their unique goals.

Along the way, we’ve created clever integrations with a range of ed-tech providers to connect our school’s existing software solutions into the app and deliver an even greater experience for users. 

Why use the Clipboard-Digistorm integration

The integration between Clipboard and Digistorm brings numerous benefits to schools, including:

  • Seamless data exchange: The integration enables a seamless exchange of data between the two platforms, ensuring that information is always up-to-date and accurate.
  • Personalised communication: By leveraging the integration, schools can provide targeted and personalised communication to students and parents. This personalised approach is unachievable at a school-wide scale without an integration like this.
  • Enhanced data security: Having a single source of data improves data security by reducing the number of places where extracurricular activity data is stored, in turn minimising the risk of a data breach.
  • Time-saving efficiency: The integration eliminates double-handling and enables streamlined and consistent processes for communication. This saves valuable time for school administrators and teachers, allowing them to focus more on students and less on spreadsheets.

How the integration works

If your school already uses Clipboard or Digistorm, the integration can seamlessly fit into your existing setup. Here's how it works:

  • If your school uses Clipboard: If your school is already using Clipboard, the integration with Digistorm can be easily implemented. Digistorm can set up an App for your school specifically for extracurricular activities (ECAs) or extend it to cover other areas based on your school's preference.
  • If you don't have a Digistorm App: If your school doesn’t have an existing Digistorm App, you may want to consider investing in one. Digistorm can set up an App for you focusing solely on extracurricular activities or as a full communication piece, depending on your school’s preferences. Our Apps are a great way to connect with families and streamline your communications.
  • If you have an existing Digistorm App: If your school already has a Digistorm App in place, the Clipboard integration can seamlessly slot right into the App as its own tile. This integration involves a handshake between Clipboard and Digistorm, connecting the two platforms together. 

When a user accesses the Digistorm App, it makes an API request to Clipboard to fetch specific data related to that user. For example, if a parent has two students at the school, Clipboard will provide schedules, team/group lists, and other relevant information for those two students. This ensures that parents receive personalised and up-to-date information through the Digistorm App.

Best of all, whenever important ECA changes are made in Clipboard, Clipboard utilises webhooks to post an API request to the Digistorm push notifications API. This triggers targeted push notifications to relevant individuals who are impacted by the changes.

So, if a dance class is postponed, parents will know about it instantly with a glance at their phone! This real-time and personalised communication significantly improves the experience for parents and students, keeping them informed and engaged. 

Data security and safety measures

The integration between Clipboard and Digistorm also prioritises all-important data security and confidentiality of your kids. Measures are in place to ensure the integrity of the data exchanged between the systems. These measures include:

  • Secure data transmission: All data exchanged between Clipboard and Digistorm is transmitted securely using industry-standard encryption protocols.
  • Access control and authentication: Both platforms enforce strict access control mechanisms to ensure that only authorised individuals can access and modify the data.
  • Data transformation and validation: During the synchronisation process, data transformation and validation processes occur to maintain data consistency and integrity. This helps to prevent errors and ensure that accurate information is exchanged between the systems.

Types of data exchanged and user experience

The integration between Clipboard and Digistorm allows for the exchange of various types of data, including student profiles, schedules, and enrolment information. The synchronisation process ensures that all relevant data is shared between the platforms, reducing the need for manual data entry and potential errors—a big sigh of relief! 

For school administrators and teachers, the integration streamlines the workflow by providing a centralised hub for extracurricular management. It eliminates the need for multiple systems and manual data handling, allowing staff to focus more on students and less on administrative tasks.

And of course, parents and students benefit from an enhanced experience as well. Communication becomes targeted, personalised, real-time, and accurate, instead of generic, delayed, and potentially irrelevant. 

Future enhancements

The partnership between Clipboard and Digistorm reflects our shared commitment to making things easy for schools through innovation and tech! Our product development teams work together closely to find ways to improve the integration and enhance extracurricular management.

This collaborative approach ensures that schools can benefit from future enhancements and innovative features that further streamline processes, improve user experiences, and meet the evolving needs of schools, parents, and students.

Wrapping up

The integration between Clipboard and Digistorm provides schools with a powerful solution for managing extracurricular activities efficiently. By seamlessly connecting the two platforms, schools can streamline administrative processes, enhance communication, ensure data security, and provide a better experience for parents and students! 

The ongoing partnership between Clipboard and Digistorm guarantees continued development and innovation, promising an even brighter future for extracurricular management in schools.

Published 4 September 2023