Key Points About Hawthorn District 73’s Parent Notification System
The District places high priority on swiftly communicating with parents in the event of an emergency. We use the SchoolMessenger notification system to send out information through email, phone and/or text messages. SchoolMessenger is integrated with PowerSchool and delivers messages to the PowerSchool contact information provided by parents/guardians. Emergency information is also posted on the District Website and Facebook.
During an emergency event, the means and immediacy of communication will depend on the scope of the event and on the potential or actual impact to the safety of the students. While it is difficult to describe all possible scenarios, the following can be used as a guide to gauge the District’s level of notification and systems used to communicate with families.
| Impact Level | Notification Response |
|---|---|
| No Impact Incident: Informational messages from either the principal or superintendent. Example: District information, school information on upcoming events. |
- SchoolMessenger notification sent via email. - May also be posted on website and Facebook. |
| A Low Impact Incident: Poses no or minimal risk to the safety of the school. There are no disruptions to regular school activities, and the incident is isolated and does not impact more than one student. Example: a small issue in one of the schools or the District. A soft lockdown suggested by police due to an off campus police-related incident. A bus delay. Note: Not every incident will warrant a notification. |
- SchoolMessenger notification sent via email and phone (home, work, cell) at beginning of incident. Text messages may also be used. - Will be posted on Website and Facebook. - Update via email at end of incident. |
| A Moderate Impact Incident: Poses a moderate risk to the school and results in some disruption to school activities. Example: Weather cancellations or delays, a change of schedule or cancellation of some activities, or a utility disruption. |
- SchoolMessenger notification sent via email, phone (home, work, cell) and text. -Will be posted on website and Facebook. - Updates will continue through the incident. - School cancellations or delays posted on emergencyclosingcenter.com. |
| A High Impact Incident: The incident poses a significant risk to the safety of the students, which results in a significant disruption to school activities, change of schedule, evacuation, cancellation of activities and impacts many students. Example: An intruder in school or the use of a weapon in school resulting in injuries to students and staff. |
- SchoolMessenger notification sent via email, phone (home, work, cell) and text. - Will be posted on website and Facebook. - Updates will continue through the incident. - Press release may be distributed to the media. |
Important Points to Remember:
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Our school has an emergency operations plan in place. Each school has a site-specific plan. Teachers, administrators and staff have been trained and have completed drills using this plan.
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Please be sure your emergency contact information is updated whenever there is a change.
- Parents who wish to receive text messages must opt-in to utilize this service. If you think your contact information may need updating in PowerSchool, first contact your student’s school to verify that they have the correct cell phone number on file. Then manually opt in by texting “Y” to 67587.
- During an incident, remain close to your sources of communication, whether phone or email, to ensure you are receiving accurate and timely updates from the district.
- Please be sure to listen to, or read the entire message.
- Do not call or go to your child’s school during an actual emergency. School staff will be busy responding to the emergency and addressing the needs of students. Calling the school will only tie up phone lines that must be used for emergency communications with staff and emergency responders. Please do not go to your child’s school unless you have received direction from the school or district officials.
Thank you in advance for your cooperation as we work together to ensure the safest environment for our students. We are fortunate to have such a committed and involved community at Hawthorn 73.