reconstruction of the project

app/Models/CommunicationLog.php

@@ -2,11 +2,15 @@
 
 namespace App\Models;
 
-use Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Model;
+use App\Models\BaseModel;
 
-class CommunicationLog extends Model
+class CommunicationLog extends BaseModel
 {
     protected $table = 'communication_logs';
+
+    // CI model didn't enable timestamps; keep off unless your table has created_at/updated_at.
+    public $timestamps = false;
+
     protected $fillable = [
         'student_id',
         'family_id',
@@ -23,5 +27,28 @@ class CommunicationLog extends Model
         'sent_by',
         'metadata',
     ];
-    public $timestamps = false;
+
+    protected $casts = [
+        'student_id'   => 'integer',
+        'family_id'    => 'integer',
+        'sent_by'      => 'integer',
+
+        // If these columns are JSON in DB, this will auto convert to arrays
+        'recipients'   => 'array',
+        'cc'           => 'array',
+        'bcc'          => 'array',
+        'attachments'  => 'array',
+        'metadata'     => 'array',
+    ];
+
+    /* Optional relationships */
+    public function student()
+    {
+        return $this->belongsTo(Student::class, 'student_id');
+    }
+
+    public function sender()
+    {
+        return $this->belongsTo(User::class, 'sent_by');
+    }
 }