Alton hires firm to notify parents of schools closings, other information

The School Board last night hired a private firm to notify parents of school closings and send other important information by phone or e-mail. Pam McLeod, school technology director, told board members the service provided by FamilyFirstAlerts.com will cost $1,650 a year.

“It’s a personal notification service,” McLeod explained during a break in the board’s meeting at Alton Central School. “You sign up online and you can get notified in any way you want: fax, pager, e-mail or telephone.”

According to the FamilyFirstAlerts.com website, the application is “fully hosted, which means that schools do not have to add phone lines, hardware or software — no maintenance. There is onsite training and 24/7 support for all users.

“FFA promotes a better working relationship between parent and school (because) keeping parents informed is an important priority that enhances student success,” the site adds.

The idea of adding the parental notification system was brought up by Interim Principal Mike Tocci. Before coming to Alton this year, Tocci served for two years as interim principal at Barnstead Elementary School. The system apparently worked so well there that Tocci reportedly said that it was used to remind residents about Old Home Day and brought out the biggest crowd the town had in years.

McLeod looked at several competitors before recommending FamilyFirstAlerts.com, she said.

There is no cost to students or their families. “The district pays per student,” McLeod explained. “It’s $2.50 per child and $1 per teacher, per year.”

With a student population of almost 620 and about 100 faculty members, the district will be charged $1,650 annually, McLeod said. She hopes it will be operating relatively soon.

“They (School Board members) want to have it set up by report cards, which is Nov. 3,” she said. “I told them I didn’t know about that but maybe by parents-teachers meetings on Nov. 9.”