Director's Corner - One Call Now

I am pleased to announce that Owensboro Catholic Schools recently entered into an agreement with One Call Now to provide a telephone communication service that will assist us in providing "timely and instantaneous" parent notification messages.

The One Call Now service will be used throughout the coming year by the Central Office and each of our schools to expedite important information to parents. Here are a few examples of its potential uses:

· School cancellations, delays, or early dismissals due to inclement weather

· Emergency school situations

· Absentee/attendance notification

· Lunch room account update

· PTO announcements

· Director's messages

· Principal's messages

Based on its successful use in the past year by Daviess County Public Schools, we are convinced that One Call Now will help OCS become more efficient and effective in providing immediate and updated information on our students and school activities.

At this point in time, we have provided the following contact information to One Call Now for each of our students and have been assured of its secure setting on their Student Management Database:

· Home Phone Number

· Dad's Cell Number

· Mom's Cell Number

The service, when prompted, will deliver a recorded message to each number provided in a matter of minutes. Please note that the system recognizes similar phone numbers for multiple child families and will only call a number once. Also, the service will leave a message on your home answering machine and cell phone voice mail. It will continue to call a number listed for up to one full day before suspending the call. A caller identification number will appear on your Caller ID display if you have Caller ID. OCS looks forward to utilizing this invaluable communication tool. We feel this service will provide another opportunity to keep you appropriately and necessarily informed and updated.

PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING

1. The One Call Now service will be tested on Tuesday, December 2nd. I will send a test message at approximately 9:00 AM to all student and staff contact numbers stored by One Call Now in its secure database. I ask that you contact Central Office at 270.686.8896 with problems or concerns. We can remove phone numbers from the database as well as add additional ones. The goal is to keep you informed and updated. Do not hesitate to let us know how and where you would like to receive these One Call Now messages.

2. My plan concerning school cancellation due to inclement weather is to let you know shortly after I hear from DCPS. My goal is to have the calls delivered beginning as early as 6:00 AM.

3. One Call Now tells us that in the near future they will open a Parent Portal that can be linked through the OCS Website. Via the portal you will be able to update your own contact information. You will be able to add up to 6 numbers for the service to call (i.e., cell number(s) and work number(s). Announcements will be made via In The Loop concerning the Parent Portal. I am excited about One Call Now and the opportunity it provides to keep our parents informed, especially concerning school cancellations, delays, and early dismissals. Accurate and timely information will allow you the opportunity to plan and coordinate care for your children.

I appreciate all you do to help us fulfill our mission of excellence in Catholic faith formation and academics. As always, your comments and insights are important to me. I can be reached via phone at 852-8028 and email at ken.rasp@owensborocatholic.org.

God's Peace!

Ken R. Rasp
Director