Parent notification system in the works at Fort Scott schools

The local school district is setting up a new program, which will enhance its communication ability with parents by utilizing technology.

During a special board meeting on March 28, the USD 234 Board of Education approved the implementation of the TextCaster notification system beginning at the start of the 2008-09 school year.

According to USD 234 Superintendent Rick Werling, using TextCaster will be a good way to keep parents and students informed about school closings and much more.

Werling said that the TextCaster system is widely used in larger cities in addition to places where technology is prevalent. The new system will not cost the school district or local citizens any extra money, as it is being funded through corporate sponsorship.

Southeast Kansas Education Service Center at Greenbush near Girard, which is an educational cooperative that coordinates vendor products for school districts, introduced the TextCaster notification system at a Greenbush Foundation Board meeting, according to Greenbush Foundation Board Member Tim Bloomfield. Bloomfield, who is also the president of Citizens Bank, NA, said that he thought the program sounded like it would be an asset to the local school district. Bloomfield said that he contacted Werling and USD 234 Business Manager Alan Drake about the program. After explaining TextCaster to Werling and Drake, Bloomfield said that Drake contacted Greenbush to discuss the program in further detail.

Bloomfield said that he had heard of businesses in other school districts who had sponsored the program for the schools in those districts. Thinking that the program would be beneficial to the Fort Scott school system, Bloomfield has committed Citizens Bank, NA to sponsor the TextCaster program for use in the local district.

According to Werling, parents will be given an option to sign up for the TextCaster program when they enroll their children in school for the 2008-09 school year. Only parents who have signed up for the program will receive school-related announcements via e-mail after the program has begun.

According to www.textcaster.com, several types of messages can be sent to parents through text messaging. The local school district can use the program to let those parents, who are signed up for the program, know when school has been canceled due to inclement weather. In addition, parents can be reminded of school events or be given athletic team scores and updates.

Although parents are not required to sign up for the TextCaster notification program, Werling said that it is a good way for the district to communicate needed information to parents.