Roanoke Rapids Graded School District announced changes today to its automated call system in an effort to make it more equitable for all students and their families. The updated system will now translate emergency messages and notifications from the district in the student’s native language.
“We have more than a dozen different nationalities represented in our district. Parents will now get a text notification in their native language whenever an automated call is made for school closings, or other notifications,” said David Cooke, Chief Information and Technology Officer.
The district worked with its website provider Apptegy, an Arkansas based technology company that specializes in school system digital connectivity, to implement the upgrade. Additionally the district upgraded its mobile app to include school news, events, lunch menus, and notifications from each of our schools and district office.
“The app can be customized to receive notifications from each individual school or multiple schools if parents have students in several schools,” Cooke added.
District Superintendent Dain Butler said, “Our schools are busy places and parents need a trusted place to find accurate information instantly. This upgrade will help us reach all of our parents and stakeholders in a more equitable way.”
The district has been averaging three to four automated calls per week during the current school closure due to COVID-19. The upgraded system has already proved to be invaluable in our efforts to keep students and parents informed.
In addition to posting notification and news on its website, the district will continue to use its social media channels (Facebook and Twitter). The mobile app can be downloaded in both the Apple App Store and Google Play. It is compatible with both smartphones and tablets.