Equipping Your Office with a Broadcast Notification System
By Michael Butchko

Broadcast or mass notification systems enable administrators to efficiently place hundreds or even thousands of calls per hour and, to an extent, replace other communication vehicles, such as newsletters, Web site postings, or the weekly distribution of manila envelopes.

With a broadcast notification system, administrators can record a message at a moment’s notice and then instantaneously broadcast it. The benefits of such systems are varied, primarily due to the fact that most require no hardware or additional phone lines at schools. The best systems can contact an entire parent population in less than five minutes.

Annual costs rarely exceed more than a few dollars per student, and, with regular use, the system quickly pays for itself by reducing mailings and newsletters, thus reducing postage, paper, and printing costs, as well as staff time. Most importantly, these systems give school administrators control of their messages’ timing and content, and when parents hear the “voice of the school,” it builds a sense of connection and trust. This, in turn, can lead to increased parental involvement and donations.

Overall, instant notification systems are an efficient way to stay connected with parents. In fact, many administrators report that parents have sent notes or stopped them in the halls to express appreciation for a new notification system. As Christian schools strive to increase enrollment, the implementation of notification systems is a good way to be differentiated from other schools that do not use such systems.

A Multi-Purpose Tool
Broadcast notification systems are perfect for swiftly communicating with students’ families about crises along the lines of natural disasters or pandemic diseases to more common disruptions like weather closings or utility failures. Administrators can also use notification technology for routine tasks, such as issuing grade-level announcements, messages about sports events, and meeting or tuition reminders.

In addition, schools can create “sub-lists” in order to send meeting reminders to specific committees and announcements for parents of students in specific grade levels. Separate messages can go to different groups at the same time, as well. For example, eighth grade parents can get a message telling them to look in their children’s book bags for correspondence about an upcoming field trip, while another message goes out to other parents about the end-of-season meeting for basketball. Users can even schedule calls months in advance, which is a real timesaver.

In the case of difficult calls—such as announcing when tuition is due, late payment reminders, or informing a parent that a child has been suspended—a notification system creates a beneficial distance at a very emotional time. Schools can certainly follow up with a one-on-one conversation after emotions have died down, but administrators will then have a concrete, indisputable record of the message and its tone when it went out to its recipient to counter any misunderstandings or accusations.
 
For fundraisers or donation events, there are always individuals who do not give due to forgetfulness. Broadcast notification motivates those people to find the form hidden on the refrigerator or bulletin board and to turn in their funds or donation.

For example, Ursuline Academy, a Catholic girls’ high school in St. Louis, had a capital campaign a few years ago. They collected 20 percent of their donations in the week following a broadcast call. The donation forms had been mailed out three months earlier.

When to Use Broadcast Notification
Broadcast notification is not something that should be used every day. Otherwise, it becomes “phone spam” in the minds of recipients. If the service is used less than once a month, a school is probably not maximizing its value. However, weekly may be too much, except for targeted messages to grade-level groups.

The best window for usage ranges from immediately to three days away from the relevant event. If the event is farther way in time, more traditional forms—such as e-mail, Web postings, newsletters, or mailings—should be used.

This type of tool is perfect for situational notices and for increasing parental involvement and responses. For situational notices, the idea is for the broadcast notice to provide the primary announcement, which can be followed by more detailed information in the form of flyers or a newsletter. For parent involvement, the broadcast notice would serve as a reminder or provide supplemental information, perhaps referencing information or a request sent earlier by e-mail, mail, or Web posting.

What to Look For
Not all broadcast notification systems are created equal, and certain attributes increase the value. We use the SchoolReach system, www.schoolreach.com, at our school, but there are other systems available, so be sure to talk to colleagues and do your research. Web-hosted systems, for instance, require no additional investments from schools in terms of hardware or phone lines. Some of the better systems offer customizable features, giving administrators the ability to automate absentee and lunch balance notices, make ethnic language recordings, and launch phone-delivered parent polls and surveys.

It is also imperative that the selected system display the school’s main phone number as the caller ID. In addition, not only should users be able to place unlimited calls to unlimited phone numbers, but they should also have e-mail and text messaging options. Users should also be able to access the system from the Web or phone so that they can send broadcast messages wherever they are.

The system must easily integrate with most student information systems. Users should be able to add individual records or entire lists, as well as obtain real-time detailed reports categorized by “answer type.” It is also best if the report data remains archived for a year or more. Finally, schools should choose systems vendors that provide 24-hour support throughout the year, as well as ongoing training.

Paying attention to all these considerations will boost the overall rationale behind implementing a broadcast notification system: streamlining communication for enhanced operations and home-school connection.

Michael Butchko is the principal at Hillside Catholic Academy in Hillside, New Jersey.