Communications

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The Middletown Area School District is dedicated to serving our students, parents and community members. To achieve this goal we believe it is important to communicate the important and positive things happening throughout the District. To best communicate this information we strive to use the most effective, yet economic means possible, such as our District website, email, social media, and other electronic forms of communication. For stakeholders who do not have access to a means of electronic communication, we will always be willing to use phone or mail to make sure everyone has equal opportunity to stay informed of MASD happenings.




SCHOOLMESSENGER MASS COMMUNICATION SYSTEM
Middletown Area School District utilizes the SchoolMessenger notification system which generates and sends messages within minutes. Parents/Guardians can elect to receive a phone message, text and/or email informing them of school events and important announcements. This communication tool is also utilized in the event of a school emergency or inclement weather announcement. Parents must complete the SchoolMessenger portion of their child’s PowerSchool account in order to receive these timely messages. Contact information must be kept current in order to receive these timely messages.

UPDATE SCHOOLMESSENGER HERE.


CLOSINGS, DELAYS & EARLY DISMISSALS
Announcements concerning school closings, delayed openings, or early dismissals will be posted on raiderweb.org and our social media accounts, sent by phone, text and email to parents/guardians who have completed their SchoolMessenger accounts, and sent to the following TV stations: WGAL TV 8 , WHP CBS 21, WHTM TV 27 and WPMT FOX 43. Parents/Guardians can choose how they would like to be informed of school closings by setting their SchoolMessenger preferences in their PowerSchool Parent Portal as explained above. If parents/guardians are unable to be home at the time of an early dismissal, prior arrangements must be made with family, friends or neighbors for the care of young children. Bus riders will be taken to their regular designated bus stops. A parent or authorized designee must be present at the bus stop before a kindergarten student is released from the school bus.

The after-school programs will continue to operate in the event of an early dismissal, but parents are asked to pick up their children within two hours after students are dismissed. 


EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS
When Middletown Area School District receives word of a situation that may compromise the safety of our students and staff, the administration immediately follows the protocol dictated in the District's All Hazards manual. In each incident, the District must follow clear guidelines to immediately address the safety of our students and staff first. The District is also subject to the authority of local police and will always follow police orders. Since the District prioritizes student safety, all manpower is dedicated to handling the incident immediately in order to bring about a quick resolution. Once the District is confident that all emergency procedures are underway and personnel and/or local authorities are addressing the matter, we will then communicate to parents/guardians what can be shared about the incident.

Please be aware that outlets such as news media and social media may broadcast information quickly, but not necessarily accurately. Our desire is to deliver correct information to parents/guardians in a timely manner in order to put their minds at ease. Communications will be posted on our website, Facebook and Twitter as soon as authorities grant us permission to deliver a statement. In some cases, communicating information too early may actually jeopardize the situation and put students and staff in greater danger. We ask that parents/guardians please wait for the published statement from the District rather than trust information that they may receive from social media, a text, or a phone call from a student or other individual.

How does the District contact you in an emergency?
If an incident does NOT require parental action, information regarding the incident will usually be delivered by email only. This is considered an informational communication that is simply keeping parents informed. Since there is no action needed from the parent, the District desires to limit the number of disruptions parents receive and reserve phone calls for true emergencies. If an incident requires parental action, such as picking up children from school or from another location, parents will receive a phone call, text or email based on the preferences they have indicated in SchoolMessenger. We cannot stress enough the importance of having updated and accurate information completed for each child in your household in the SchoolMessenger section of your PowerSchool Parent Portal. It is the District's only way to contact you should an emergency arise. We strongly recommend that parents/guardians select ALL THREE communication methods, call, text, and email, for both AM and PM Notifications. We greatly appreciate your cooperation as we prioritize the safety of your children.

Be prepared for emergency communications by updating your SchoolMessenger preferences in your PowerSchool Parent Portal found here.


Questions and concerns about District communications may be directed to:

Beth Williams
Director of Communications
717-948-3300, ext. 1004
communication@raiderweb.org

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