With the return to school during the COVID-19 pandemic, Highmark of Fort Wayne, a designer of exhibit systems, has begun to produce safety shields and partitions for students and educators.

Made of polycarbonate, the products allow for dry-erase marker use and easy cleanup, the company said in a news release. Polycarbonate offers more durability than acrylic plastic and creates smooth edges for better handling and safety, within the classroom, according to the company. The modular shields allow two, four, six or eight people to share a table with the shields acting as a barrier to prevent the spread of COVID-19, which has infected nearly 23 million worldwide and killed close to 800,000.

“All of us at Highmark are working parents, and we share the same concerns,” Highmark President Debbie Parrott said in the news release. “We also believe that face-to-face in-person engagement is so important for learning – be it in a school, community, or business setting. I’d love to think that Highmark is playing a small role in helping schools create an extra layer of protection for students, faculty, and administrators as they physically go back to school, which we’re excited about.”