TRAVERSE CITY -- A new mass communication system in a dozen regional school districts will send immediate emergency alerts to parents by phone or e-mail once it is installed this fall.
The program, called AlertNow, draws from a district's database of phone numbers and e-mail addresses to signal parents, as well as students or staff members who provide contact information.
The system can be used not only in emergencies, but also to send important reminders, inclement weather cancellations and other messages.
"People want to know what's happening in school with their kids," said Todd Neibauer, technology director for Traverse City Area Public Schools, one of the participating districts. "In the case of an extreme emergency, we don't want there to be chaos."
The Traverse Bay Area Intermediate School District selected the program in conjunction with its 15 K-12 public school districts. Thus far, 12 have committed to adopting it, including TCAPS.
Collaborating with its member districts allowed TBA administrators to secure a discounted rate, Superintendent Mike Hill said. The program will cost roughly $50,600 in all, or $2.25 per student.
About 22,500 students will participate.
TCAPS' share of $23,175 will come from the district's technology budget, part of the general fund.
One of the draws for TCAPS administrators is its extra ability to make automated attendance calls.
Parents used to receive calls notifying them if their child missed a class, but Neibauer said that function has not been available for several years.
AlertNow uses its own phone lines and can make as many as 10,000 calls in a matter of minutes, he said. Staff members also can send messages from any telephone, including a cell phone.
One challenge that remains is getting important contact data into the system.
Practically all of the district's families provide phone numbers, Neibauer said. But only about 60 percent of parents have offered e-mail addresses, a factor that largely depends on whether a family has computer access at home.
Still, the program can send alerts in multiple formats, Hill said, which should ensure all parents receive important messages.
"Schools in general are looking for avenues on how they can increase communication to and with parents," he said. "We are accustomed to and expect communication to be quick."
Print this story
E-mail this story
