Tecumseh Schools implement new online alert system

DEB WUETHRICH
deb@tecumsehherald.com

Even as the Tecumseh Public School district prepared parent notification letters, families who had already discovered details on the web page got to utilize a new alert system last Friday. Bad weather prompted the closing of the schools on December 19, triggering the new Honeywell Instant Alert® system which was approved by the Tecumseh School Board on October 27. The district entered into a three-year agreement at a cost of just under $6,000 per year to be part of a Lenawee Intermediate School District consortium for the program.

Superin-tendent Mike McAran said a test call took place on Wednesday, Dec. 17. Dis-trict officials believe the system will get its most widespread use during school closings or delays.

“But the nice thing is, you can code by groups, too,” said McAran. He said, for example, if a sports team bus is running behind, families of those students may receive notification of the delay.

The system is Internet based and families will establish a protected online profile and select the type of school information they would like to receive. Each user may specify whether they want to receive the information on home or cell phones, computers, or other contact devices. Using a login name and password, families can also review and update the information on their profile at any time.

The Instant Alert for Schools is currently being used in more than 100 school districts in Michigan, and alerts may be sent for a variety of occasions such as power failures, early dismissals, bomb threats, sports team schedules and changes, and parent teacher conference reminders, to name a few.

“I think it’s going to be a great way for parents to get all the different kinds of communications that come out of the district,” said Todd Thieken, Director of Technology. “It just gives us another avenue to use like we use our webpage and the newspapers now. There’s definitely no reason for families not to be informed about what’s going on.”

To access the new system, visit the district’s web page at tps.k12.mi.us or http://instantalert.honeywell.com. For help, click on the Help Request link on the lower right hand of the page or contact the school at 424-7318. Those who do not have a computer are invited to use school facilities to set up a profile to receive phone call alerts.