SAN FRANCISCO — Salesforce is hosting a virtual town hall Tuesday afternoon to encourage others to support local schools during the coronavirus pandemic.
The event, called "Leading Through Change: Embracing the Future of Education Together," begins at 5:30 p.m. ET. Click here to sign up.
Salesforce also announced it's providing $20 million in new grants to focus on advancing equity, supporting teachers and helping close the digital divide brought on by the pandemic.
Indianapolis Public Schools will receive $500,000 to support professional development for educators, including racial equity training for teachers and a new principal residency, among other initiatives.
This is Salesforce's third year partnering with IPS.
"Public schools are the backbone of our communities—the heart and soul of our neighborhoods," said Ebony Beckwith, chief philanthropy officer at Salesforce, in a press release. "As we reimagine education for a post-COVID-19, learn-anywhere world, we are committed to helping our schools build an equitable future for every student."
In addition to the grant, Salesforce has committed $100,000 to IPS' COVID-19 relief funds.
Salesforce is also announcing new technology to help schools make data-driven decisions on when and how to return to campus safely, facilitate communication between teachers and families at scale, and support students remotely.
Work.com for Schools will provide the following options to administrators and staff to navigate the complexities of reopening and managing ongoing campus safety:
- Workplace command center
- Wellness check
- Contact tracing
The new technology will allow schools to support students and families from anywhere — whether it be in-person or virtual learning.
