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The River East Transcona School Division has launched an emergency notification system that allows administrators to send urgent alerts to families and employees via text, phone and email.
The division, which oversees the education of approximately 17,000 learners, piloted the tool with a test message Thursday.
The system will be used exclusively in the event of an emergency or when a time-sensitive notification must be issued to community members, according to senior administration.
It is expected to be of assistance when there is an evacuation, hold-and-secure, lockdown, closure of all schools or division-wide bus cancellation due to inclement weather.
Mark Bruce, assistant superintendent of human resources, declared this week’s pilot message was a success.
“It gave us insight into how this tool can help us share critical, time-sensitive information, to keep everyone informed in a way that’s more accessible to them,” Bruce said in a news release published Friday afternoon.
The Oct. 20 message sent across the district explained to recipients that it was a test and urged them not to be alarmed because there was no real emergency underway.
The notice was sent to more than 3,000 education workers and upwards of 21,000 parents, guardians and emergency contacts in the division.
The tool is critical so the division can connect with parents during any sort of emergency, said Amanda Gaudes, senior communications co-ordinator RETSD.
Gaudes said parents justifiably expect to be able to receive timely information in 2022.
“We are walking the walk of open communication with our families,” she said, adding the rollout has been several years in the making.
The division has faced criticism over busing delays that occurred on the first day of school.
In a mass email sent to families on Sept. 8, RETSD superintendent Sandra Herbst vowed to improve communication with caregivers.
maggie.macintosh@freepress.mb.ca
Twitter: @macintoshmaggie
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