School's Out (save it)

[Sharon]

School's Out provides a free public service that notifies parents of emergency school closures, delays, cancellations, or schedule changes. The School's Out web site is tied directly to the school administration and is updated by their own authorized personnel.

The three services we provide are:

* Website Alerts - Parents can view the status of their child's school directly on our website. This is a free service.
* Email Alerts - Parents can register their email address with us, and receive an immediate email alert as soon as the status of their child's school has changed. This is a free service.
* COMING SOON - Cell Phone Alerts - For less than $1/month, parents can receive an immediate SMS (short message service) message on their cell phone when the status of their child's school has changed.

http://www.schoolsout.com/listschools.do?state=Maryland

[baileydog]

There's no St. Marys County Schools. Its so nice to be forgotten living way down here in the boonies.

[Sharon]

Originally Posted by baileydog

There's no St. Marys County Schools. Its so nice to be forgotten living way down here in the boonies.

There's no link for Calvert either. Works for private school and most colleges though.

With school officials and county administrators directly updating the site, Schools-Out.Com serves as the most timely and reliable source of information.

I think it's up to the county to join the site. Maybe they don't know about it.

[suzeQ]

Our Board of Ed also offers both e-mail and phone notification of changes in the school system. I have found both to be fairly unreliable, though.

This morning I had an e-mail waiting for me at 6 a.m. The phone all came around 8:20--which would have been too late if that was the only notification I was getting. I have received calls about 50% of the time this winter. If you can't count on it, what good is it? E-mail is equally unreliable, plus if you subscribe to it, you get notices of every meeting, announcement and training the board offers. I guess somd.com is the best resource around. They always have it right and on time.

[AMP]

I always go to WTOP's site, they are reliable, and usually have the info posted by 7am, if no earlier.

www.wtop.com and click on Closings and Delays on the left hand side of the page.

[ClairJhean]

Originally Posted by suzeQ

Our Board of Ed also offers both e-mail and phone notification of changes in the school system. I have found both to be fairly unreliable, though.

This morning I had an e-mail waiting for me at 6 a.m. The phone all came around 8:20--which would have been too late if that was the only notification I was getting. I have received calls about 50% of the time this winter. If you can't count on it, what good is it? E-mail is equally unreliable, plus if you subscribe to it, you get notices of every meeting, announcement and training the board offers. I guess somd.com is the best resource around. They always have it right and on time.

yeah i have two kids and i had one call at 8:10 which is 10 minutes before my oldest catches the bus... she was rushign around and on her way out when the call came in. The other just came in a second ago... which isnt too bad since my son catches the bus at 12:10. lol alittle late with that morning call..

[Chasey_Lane]

Originally Posted by ClairJhean

yeah i have two kids and i had one call at 8:10 which is 10 minutes before my oldest catches the bus... she was rushign around and on her way out when the call came in.

Have you ever thought that, maybe, just maybe, the school has to call more parents; not just yourself?

[workin hard]

Originally Posted by Chasey_Lane

Have you ever thought that, maybe, just maybe, the school has to call more parents; not just yourself?

Just like she would think to use spell check

[suzeQ]

Originally Posted by Chasey_Lane

Have you ever thought that, maybe, just maybe, the school has to call more parents; not just yourself?

Chasey,

It's a computer generated phone call, not a personal call from the teacher.

The system was designed to notify all parents in a relatively short period of time, making many calls at the same time.

[Chasey_Lane]

Originally Posted by suzeQ

Chasey,

It's a computer generated phone call, not a personal call from the teacher.

My daughter's school always has a person call; not an automated system.