I was reading through the Sky News updates about the horrific happenings at Sandy Hook school in Connecticut and saw that all parents apparently received text updates about the incident.
This functionality has become more widespread in America especially as a result of the likes of the Virginia Tech shooting when thousands of students needed to me updated instantly.
My children aren’t attending school yet but I will need to add the topic of text updates in emergency situations (even say bad weather) to the agenda for discussion. As far as I know — we’ve been looking at the odd place now and again — text alerts haven’t been something they’ve offered. Indeed many teachers explained to me that there ‘is a yahoo group or something for the parents’.
Does your child’s school offer this sort of immediate status updates by text?
They have a text messaging system, typically saying that after-school activities have been cancelled, and you’ve got 20 minutes to get yourself to school for pick up. Whether the secretary would have the wit to send these while under fire I don’t know.
They use teachers2parents for email, don’t know whether they use the same for SMS.
Yep. The school texts stuff like you need to come as roman soldier on Thursday or Year 4 please remember swimming kit tomorrow. It’s great and shows the value of a ubiquitous communications platform.
That’s pretty good.
Do you think the school has a disaster Comms plan? Do you reckon someone from the local council would be able to access the system and transmit messages in the event of the secretary being unavailable?
V useful indeed
Ah – no idea. Nothing about it on their web page, and if there was one I’d expect it to be there (they’ve just had an inspection). It seems to be set up by the school (other schools had it before, or after), I don’t know whether they’ve given details to the council. Would seem sensible.
There’s always a suggestions slip at parent’s evenings…
There are several companies offering this in US. A side effect of the 2nd Amendment. Freedom isn’t free. I wonder if these services are as common in other countries.
Yes it has been in place in our kids schools for a few years now – I think you’ll find it commonplace in schools in the UK.
Most state schools use http://www.parentmail.co.uk that includes an alert system by text for emergencies.
smart!