In article <0D357934-85DE-4935-8F58-02F5FCC1DC8A@americafree.tv>, Marshall Eubanks <tme@americafree.tv> writes
I would say this partially would depend on how and what you want to communicate. If there is just going to be one pronouncement per day (the school is up / down / delayed), then facebook and / or myspace would suggest themselves.
There's going to be a handful a year. Such as "school closed today due to snow". or "remember - school closed today for staff training" [a curious British phenomenon].
They are to date free, and the students will know what they are. I would start with facebook.
If you look at the #AuthorizeNet situation, there was a lot of back and forth. Will the schools have a need for back and forth ?
No, if the school's closed, it's closed. No debate allowed.
Note that this will take people answering questions / dealing with issues on twitter. Specifically, someone would have to pay attention to it during any quasi-emergency period - do the schools have such a person ?
Such a person could be designated.
Also, if the school looses power in a storm,
Schools in urban areas here very rarely lose power in storms. All the cables are underground. Of course, losing power would be another excuse to close the school :)
is there a backup means of getting to the Internet ?
A laptop with a 3g modem would suffice, or for Twitter someone with a suitably configure mobile phone. -- Roland Perry