Emergency Announcements

SchoolMessenger Communicate is an automated system used by the Puyallup School District that allows schools within the district to telephone families quickly in the event of an emergency or to provide general school-related announcements.

This phone-based communications system is used to rapidly alert parents of weather-related school closures or changes in start or dismissal times. It has the capacity to reach all families in a given school, or the entire district.

In an emergency, the system is programmed to call the home and work phone numbers of parents/guardians listed on the child’s enrollment card. For general non-emergency announcements, the system calls the home number only.

Because of this, parents must keep their children’s enrollment information current throughout the year with correct home and work telephone numbers. To update an enrollment card, contact the school office.

General Phone Announcements

While the system is instrumental in alerting parents to an emergency situation on campus, SchoolMessenger Communicate is also used for general non-emergency announcements such as an upcoming open house, report card mailing information, picture day reminders, and the statewide testing schedule. The traditional means of communicating with parents is continuing as before. However, this automated system ensures that the district can reach every family in a timely and organized manner.

All school leaders, including school principals and other administrators, have been trained on how to use this message program. Administrators authorized to make calls on the system do so by using a computer to enter the message on a special Internet Web site. In the event of a power outage, administrators can also broadcast a message to parents using their cell phones. Messages can be sent in English, Spanish, and other languages.

SchoolMessenger Communicate does not replace current modes of school communication. Principals are still accessible for meetings and telephone calls, and parents will continue to receive school newsletters and other written communications at home.