Communications Plan – Emergencies
In the event of inclement weather or an emergency situation, the Puyallup School District takes every precaution to ensure the safety of students. Members of the Communications and Information Department will use three platforms to communicate directly with parents and community using the following the plan:
1. Once a decision has been made to delay classes or close schools, parents will receive a text AND an email message with the use of SchoolMessenger Communicate. This automated parent notification system can rapidly alert parents and is a direct form of communication to all parents. The system is programmed to send an email message to the address listed on their child’s enrollment card. For those who have opted in to the text messaging service, an alert will be sent to the primary number listed on their child’s enrollment card.
2. The school district will keep the community informed through the Public Schools Emergency Communications System on local radio stations, TV stations, and Internet sites. If the Puyallup School District is not mentioned during the news broadcast, school will be open with buses operating on as normal a schedule as possible.
3. The landing page for the PSD website is maintained daily and includes banner stories celebrating Puyallup students and staff. It also includes several new stories which provide timely information for parents and community members. In the event of an emergency or change to the school schedule, a notice highlighted in red will appear on the PSD website landing page.
Please note – for lockdowns, school delays, or school closures, the district will no longer:
• Contact parents through a phone call (robo call) - Texting and email will be used instead.
• Post information on social media - These platforms don’t ensure direct contact since not all parents use social media.
Simply put, PSD emergency communications will comprise of the following:
1. Email and text messages to parents
2. Local radio and television stations
3. District website