Schools could get notification system

BAY MINETTE, Ala. - There is a sample recording of the phone message with the Rapid Notification System on file at Baldwin County School Board Office.
A few pilot schools within the district already have the software.

Board spokesman Terry Wilhite says it's a tool administrators can use during emergency situations. "It's important to be able to get information out there quickly to the people we serve. Mainly parents and we have parents appreciate that."

Here is how the system works, with any phone, an administrator can dial in to a certain phone number and record a message.

On the other end, that message is sent out to every parent's phone in the district. The district already has the notify me system, but that is email-based.

Rapid notification is voice-based. "Most everybody has phone, either cell phone or landline phone. Not everybody has email, so that's the reason it is so important to expand this district-wide."

Whether all 45 schools will get the system will be decided on Thursday. The software costs about $50,000. Principals will also be able to alert parents about non-emergency situations such as PTA meetings.