Text, Voicemail and E-mail Notifications for Fox Point-Bayside Families

Parents with children in the will no longer need to look to Twitter or the district's website for time-sensitive information. Over the holiday break, the district installed a new communication system called Blackboard Connect.

The new platform allows the district to send out emergency notifications via voicemail messages to both home and cell phones, text messages and email notifications. Up until now, the district solely relied on e-mail contact.

“Today we must be prepared for emergency situations that we never could have anticipated happening, such as and the this past fall. The  Blackboard Connect platform provides our district with the technology needed to quickly communicate with parents and staff,” said Rachel Boechler, district
administrator, in a press release.

The district will send out a test message on Sunday evening. If you receive a message by mistake, you can notify the District Office at (414) 247-4167. If you are a parent who does not receive a message, you can contact the office as well to make sure your contact information is up to date.

But the new notification service isn't the only technology advance the district has seen.

The idea is interactivity

This year, Boechler said the district is piloting the use of a few interactive white boards by a company called Mimio.

"The advantage of Mimio is transportable, so two teachers could share it," she said. "Through magnets, you put them on any old whiteboard and it turns it into an interactive white board."

Boechler said there are additional pieces of equipment that can be added to the interactive white boards, like a student response system. Just like Jeopardy, each student is equipped with a clicker. With it, they can participate in a vote or tally and their answer shows up on the board.

However, these smart boards aren't cheap. Boechler said they run about $3,500 per board and have roughly 12 throughout the district. She said that while every teacher would like a Mimio board, by testing other technology the district might be able to supplement a mix of electronics to help students learn.

That's where the iPads come in. The district has 20 iPads floating throughout the two schools and Boechler said the idea is to see which is better — the iPads and their apps, or the word processing ability of a Netbook.

Wireless technology needs wifi

With all these new advances and wireless technology, wireless internet is a must have. Boechler said both district schools have password-protected wifi and the hope is that kids will eventually be able to bring their own iPads, iPods, Netbooks or any other electronic device to help supplement their learning.

"They can take their laptops or netbooks anywhere in the building and learn," Boechler said. "They can learn in large groups or small groups, even sitting around the cafeteria table or in the library or wherever."