Following the fatal drive-by shooting at Westbury High School earlier today, HISD deployed its automated phone system to contact over 1,000 parents almost instantaneously, according to HISD spokeman Terry Abbott.
Here’s the message that went out:
This is Westbury High School Principal Eric Coleman calling with a very important message.
We had a tragedy outside of Westbury High School, not on the campus, Tuesday morning. A ninth grade student was in a street off campus after school started when he was shot.
The Houston Police Department is investigating this off-campus incident, and our HISD Police Department is assisting. I wanted to call you right away and give you this information because it is important that parents be kept informed.
We kept all the students inside the school and safe during the school day. I’m very proud of how well our students behaved in class while the investigation was going on. We’ve had extra counselors at the school to assist any student who needs it, and HISD Police have increased police patrols around the school before and after school.
Westbury is a safe school. We take pride in giving our students a safe learning environment every day inside the school. And we will do everything we can to work with the community to keep the neighborhoods outside the school safe every day.
Again, this is Eric Coleman, the principal of Westbury High School.
The Houston Press blog HouStoned was quick to praise HISD for their smart use of technology. Chron.com’s education blog called attention to the call’s emphasis on the location of the shooting (off campus).
Both the message and the rapid response via the automated phone system seem appropriate to us. The overnight note from the principal (or the overnight printed newspaper!) just seem like relics in comparison.
