District to soon implement emergency communication system
Amherst Schools
by PATRICK J. NAGY Reporter

If an emergency or school closing happens in the Amherst Central School District, administrators will soon have a quick way to spread the word to staff members, faculty and parents.

Superintendent Laura Chabe said at last Tuesday's meeting that over the next few weeks the district will be implementing a new emergency communication system.

Global Connect System will allow the district to inform staff members, faculty and parents of an emergency with a single phone call.

The call is a prerecorded message of Chabe's voice and is sent to recipients' cell phones or home phones. Chabe said the system can also track when the phone call was received.

"With one phone call, I can literally reach out to every parent and staff member," said Chabe.

Chabe said letters were sent out to parents explaining how the system works. A test message will be sent when the system is operational, she added.

Mark Whyle, the district's assistant superintendent for administrative services, said Global Connect System was purchased through BOCES for $5,000. Two-thirds of the cost will be reimbursed by the state, Whyle said.

Board Member Robert Wetter encouraged the board to think about a procedural policy for using the system.

In another matter: 70-foot batting cages will be erected for the baseball and softball teams this coming spring.

Athletics Director Nancy Riccio said the batting cage for the baseball team will be placed behind the home dugout on the side of Westmoreland Road. The batting cage for the softball team is scheduled to be put behind the home bench on Kings Highway, but that will hinge on whether or not the softball field will be moved behind the high school because of better drainage.

Riccio said the downside of moving the softball field to the new location is that it would interfere with the shot put and discus throw area for outdoor track meets, so meets would have to be scheduled accordingly.

The batting cages, funded through the district's athletic department and the Booster Club, will be up from early April until mid-June.