The school system in Mahwah, New Jersey, is considering implementing a service that will send text alerts to parents to relay any important news involving emergencies or changes in schedule.
As this blog has mentioned in the past, this is an effective way to keep parents in the know and help preserve the safety of students. Should inclement weather force the school to close and send students home early, parents must be aware of this fact so they can adjust their work schedules accordingly.
Residents in Mahwah are even more cognizant of weather risks, three months after the state was ravaged by Hurricane Sandy. During the storm, the Mahwah township used a similar system to send emergency texts. This proved to be successful and likely saved the lives of many residents, so school officials believe the concept could successfully cross over to the school system.
Moreover, while many people are hesitant about signing up for SMS services due to their high costs, that will not be the case with this program.
“The system is free for the district to sign up for, and would allow central administration to send out text messages to anyone who signed up to receive them,” wrote Jessica Mazzola, a contributor with the Mahwah Patch. “The messages are free to receive.”
There is no legitimate reason for the school system not to implement this service. Sending texts in emergency situations has proven to be extremely effective time and time again. Parents that receive text alerts will be able to ensure their children are safe as they know exactly what’s going on with them when they are not with them. Many organizations can benefit from implementing a similar service, and Swift SMS Gateway offers the tools needed to launch this initiative.
