Keeping parents informed and involved helps to assure student safety and improve student success.  With today’s on-the-go lifestyles, it has become more difficult for our schools to reach families quickly and effectively.  This is why MSAD #44 has decided to implement a new system called Instant Alert^TM for Schools. 

Instant Alert for Schools should prove to be an essential tool for notification and communication.  Within minutes of an emergency, school officials can use Instant Alert to deliver a single, clear message to the students’ parents or guardians by telephone, cell phone, e-mail, pager or PDA in any combination.  Instant Alert can also be used to notify you of a school closing due to inclement weather.  It is an equally effective way to keep you informed of everyday activities, such as changes in event times and locations.

Instant Alert is an Internet based system.  It allows each family to maintain a secure, password protected online profile.  Included in this letter is an instruction sheet for accessing the system and creating your individual profile.  You can log into your profile at any time to update your contact information.  Maintaining the accuracy of your profile will increase the ability of the school to keep you informed.  I would urge you to take a few minutes today to complete this process.

Your online profile will enable you to:

·        Add your personal contact information

·        Select which type of school information you would like to receive on each of your contact devices

·        Send yourself a test text message to make sure your text messaging contact information is entered correctly

·        Add contact information of other caretakers of your children, such as a grandparent or neighbor

·        Designate these caretakers as the main contact for your children if you are out of town

In addition to receiving communication alerts on your designated contact devices, the alert messages will also appear in your online profile.  You can use this feature to read any alerts that may have been erased or deleted accidentally on your other contact devices.

The system will be ready for you to use at www.sad44.org on March 6, 2006.  I encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity, as we will be utilizing this system for much of our school-to-home communication beginning soon. 

Parents Choose How to be Contacted

Phone/Cell Phone	E-Mail	Pager	PDA

Parents can customize how they want to receive messages and where they want them sent.  Send a message to your home phone or e-mail.  It's your decision about where and how messages are delivered.

 If you do not have access to a computer at home, you are welcome to come into your child's school and use a school computer. Please stop by the school office first.

Register and create your account

1.       Go to the Honeywell Instant Alert for Schools website at:

 https://instantalert.honeywell.com/

2.       If you are not a staff member in the school, click on "New User" below the login boxes.

3.       If you are a staff member in the school, use the user ID and password given to you by the school.

4.       Complete the Student information form. (Fields marked with * are mandatory) Click "Submit."

5.       Complete the corresponding Parent information form. (Fields marked with * are mandatory)  Click "Submit."

6.       After receiving the Confirmation message, click on "Proceed" to get started with Instant Alert.

7.       Note: Remember your Login Name and Password so you may use it to update your profile.

View and check details about yourself and your family members

1.       Upon successful login, click on "Account Details."

2.       Click on "Parent Profiles" and then your name to view and edit details about yourself and your family members.

3.       Click on "Student Profiles" to view details about your children enrolled in this school.

Configure alert settings for yourself

1.       Click on "Alerts."  Click on "Alert Configuration."

2.       Click on the name of a contact from the list.

3.       Click on the tabs (Phone, Email, Text Messaging, Pager) to view this person's contact device information.

4.       Enter contact device information within the gray box and click "Add" to add more contact devices.

5.       Click on the check boxes in the appropriate column to select which alert type you would like to have sent to which device.  Click on "Save" when complete. 

6.       For e-mail, text messaging and pagers you may send yourself a test message.  Click on "Send Test Message" to check if the address has been entered correctly.  Common cell phone text messaging addresses are located in the Help section - click on "Help" while on the "Text Messaging" screen.  You can also contact your cell provider to receive your text messaging address. 

Additional Functions

View History of Alerts

Click on "Alerts" to view Alerts that have been sent to you.  Use the calendar icons and "Alert Type" list to filter.

Identify key contacts for your children

1.       Click on "My Other Contacts."

2.       Click on "Add New Contact" and complete the form. (Fields marked with * are mandatory)

3.       Click on the "Pick up Rights" check box if you wish to allow this person the right to pick up your child from school.  This person’s name will appear on a report for the school.

4.       Click "Add" OR click "Save and Configure Alerts" to directly configure alert settings for this contact.

5.       Select a child's name from the drop down and click on "Change Priority" in order to prioritize the contacts for that child.  If you want a contact to receive Alerts, click on the "Yes/No" button in the Contact List.

Set your "Out of Town" calendar

1.       Click on "Account Details."  Set your travel calendar and still stay in touch with your child's school.

2.       Complete the form (Fields marked with * are mandatory); use the calendar icons to specify travel dates.

3.       Assign a primary contact while you are away.

For E-mail Assistance: InstantAlertHelp@Honeywell.com

Take Me to the Honeywell Login Website