Eric Allatta

Comuter Science and Mathematics Teacher in New York City.

ATS-to-Remind Import Tool

Overview: This tool bridges NYC’s ATS (Automate The Schools) system with Remind’s messaging platform, enabling more effective, multilingual, and personalized communication between schools and families.

Remind is a powerful communication tool—but many of its more advanced features (multiple guardians, home-language targeting, class roster sync) are locked behind technical complexity. This tool solves that problem by making it easier to engineer and automate the required data feeds.

Core Functions

  • Class Roster Sync: Automatically matches class schedules from ATS with Remind rosters
  • Guardian Mapping: Imports multiple contacts per student with custom tagging (e.g., math class only, advisory only)
  • Home Language Support: Pulls language data from ATS to pre-segment recipients for translation or targeted messages
  • Conditional Logic: Supports rule-based grouping (e.g., parent of student in both AP CS and Advisory)

Technical Notes

  • Built using spreadsheet transformation tools and custom scripts
  • Requires basic CSV output from ATS and admin-level access to Remind
  • Can be semi-automated, but full automation limited by DOE third-party software policies
  • Used internally by school data and tech teams (not plug-and-play for general teacher use without setup)

Impact

  • Made Remind viable for bilingual and multilingual parent communication
  • Reduced manual errors and teacher load around contact management
  • Supported consistent messaging across programs, especially in high-variance classrooms

Status: Internal prototype in use from 2018–2021. Currently being reviewed for broader documentation and potential reuse. If interested in collaboration or viewing sample files, please reach out via the Contact page.