The Eastern School District is closing school one hour early today. This midday-closure thing has got to be one of the most confusing part of a parent’s life: not only does it mean last-minute logistics juggling, but it also means that on any day where weather is sketchy you have to listen to the radio all the time.
I’m not a Patersonian “all of the world’s problems can be solved through Twitter” person, but it does seem to me that some sort of push solution would aid in the struggle here.
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Comments
I’ve always wondered the same
I’ve always wondered the same thing. A simple email and/or SMS list where parents could subscribe and unsubscribe would be the obvious answer. Email works fine for hockey and Beavers - not sure why the School Boards or individual schools don’t use such a thing, as email and cell phone text messanging are practically ubiquitous. If there are privacy concerns, parents could sign up personally at the School Board office.
Stonepark sends out an email
Stonepark sends out an email to all parents on days when there is early closure. However, with older children it is not such a necessity to get home to meet them.
I think this is perfect
I think this is perfect business opportunity for an enterprising IT business — a whole Island SMS/Twitter/Facebook/email solution. With those four offerings I believe you’d have all the bases covered.
Add the ability to send out
Add the ability to send out report cards via encrypted PDF, and collect fundraising dollars using PayPal, and you’d have a complete parental interaction system!
Glen Stewart sends out emails
Glen Stewart sends out emails as well, a nice idea.
Peter, I am sure that my mom
Peter, I am sure that my mom would add you to her speed dial. She tracks me down immediately to make sure that I am aware of any school closures.
PS - She is in withdrawal not knowing where you are every second.
What’s wrong with listening
What’s wrong with listening to the radio all day?
http://www.edu.pe.ca/esd/main
http://www.edu.pe.ca/esd/main/…
They are close… just need to add an RSS to it, and you’re golden.
Why don’t you just pay
Why don’t you just pay attention to the weather?
Really, if it’s storming, not in the city, but in the country, where thousands of children travel each day on rickety old buses on drift-encrusted roads, then perhaps you could have an ear to the radio regards these things.
Just sayin’.
Yeah, but many of the
Yeah, but many of the closures are announced before working hours, and this web page is apparently not updated until somebody at ESB actually goes to the workplace. On days where the school board is closed, too, it is probably not updated at all. For it to be useful, they would have to have something arranged so a staff member could change it from home.
Like Derek says, the Eastern
Like Derek says, the Eastern School District page warns: “The information contained on this page is not updated until the beginning of the regular work day. For that reason, storm closures announced in the early morning may not appear here until later in the day.”
And to think I was starting
And to think I was starting to be one of those people who thought “all of the world’s problems can be solved through Twitter”. Hmmmm…in child care programs and Kindergartens we can phone parents. I have also noticed that more and more people are starting to post the status of things like storms and closures on places like Facebook. I agree that some sort of Island wide way to get messages out to parents would be great…the technology exists…it is a matter of finding a way to link the “push” of info all together. Parents for Choice and Quality are working on developing a network for parents across the Island. I know that Rob Paterson has also been talking about ways to use social media (and other ways as well) to connect people together during Island wide closures. Perhaps there are connections with all of these areas and solutions that we should collectively be discussing.
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