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Missing Student Found Through SchoolReach Parent Notification System
ST. LOUIS, MO, March 4, 2009 - Rossville Consolidated School District (RCSD) in Indiana discovered their new school-to-home communications system, SchoolReach, really does live up to its name after the parental notification system recently helped locate a high school student who had been missing for more than a week.
"We have always believed we are allies with our parents in the education process of their children, but what the SchoolReach system so eloquently proved is that we have a true connection with parents and our community at large," said Dr. Jim Hanna, superintendent of RCSD.
RCSD began using the SchoolReach system in December 2008 after switching from another vendor. As a leading K-12 communications solution, SchoolReach offers elementary and secondary school administrators an easy-to-use, school-to-home connection that delivers personalized phone or text messages to every parent or staff member.
In the days leading up to the 16-year old student's reunion with his family, the town's law enforcement marshal, Travis Harris, had doggedly searched for the teenager. The local media had been notified, flyers had been posted throughout the small rural business community, and attempts were made to track the student's cell phone.
After seeing one of the flyers, Dr. Hanna contacted the marshal and asked if it would help to put a message out to the community via SchoolReach to see if the student had been spotted. Harris agreed so they contacted the family to secure their approval. Within minutes of recording and sending the personal message, the family's telephone began to ring with tips on sightings of the young man. Shortly after that the marshal was able to locate the boy and bring him safely home.
"I just assumed everyone knew about this missing child," said Harris. "I am so thankful for this incredible resource and its ability to alert our community to this families' plight and we are just so relieved with the happy ending it provided."
Hanna added, "From the first time we used the SchoolReach instant parent communications system I knew we had made a good choice - now I understand the tangible benefits it offers in the connection it provides both our parents and members of our close-knit community."
Used by more than 4,000 schools in 49 states and Washington, DC, the web-based SchoolReach system can instantly deliver general announcements to home, office and cell phones. Recorded by the familiar voice of a school representative, SchoolReach offers comprehensive messaging capabilities on attendance, community outreach, emergency or crisis management, weather-related schedule changes and more.
About GroupCast and SchoolReach
GroupCast is a St. Louis-based instant messaging notification service. Each recorded message is delivered simultaneously to tens, hundreds or thousands of individuals and takes only minutes to reach all of its recipients. SchoolReach, a subsidiary of GroupCast, is the leading parent notification service among private schools, and the fastest growing service used by public schools across the country. More information about GroupCast or SchoolReach can be found at www.groupcast.com and www.schoolreach.com or by calling 800-420-1479.