Campbell County schools to test emergency alert system

Parents of students in the Campbell County schools should receive phone calls and e-mails Thursday as part of a test for a new emergency alert system.

Superintendent Robert Johnson explained at Monday’s school board meeting that the school division is partnering with the Honeywell company to make instant alerts available to parents and guardians in case of emergencies or school closings.

The system involves recorded and computer-generated messages that would go out to parents by phone or e-mail. The test Thursday will involve a “high priority” alert, meaning that the school division will try to reach parents through all listed contacts.

The superintendent said that on the first run of the system some of the phone calls might go awry. He wants parents to call their schools on Nov. 20 if they do not receive an alert, or if a call goes where it is unwanted.

Nonetheless, Johnson said he cares more about spreading the word to parents in an emergency situa-tion than he does about accidentally placing unwanted calls.

“Frankly, if it’s a high priority, if Pizza Hut gets a call, so be it,” Johnson said.

In other business:

- The School Board voted to give the go-ahead for architectural firm Dewberry-Davis to draw up plans for the retrofitting of an old printing lab at the Campbell County Technical Center.

The plan is for the old lab to be made into a new classroom and a science lab, for use in an early-college program for high school students that would be a joint effort with Central Virginia Community College. Students would be able to earn college credit while still in high school.

- The superintendent announced that guidance counselor Linda Grubba had won the Virginia Counselors Association’s William Van Hoose Career Service Award.

“It’s kind of like you were at the Oscars and you got your lifetime achievement award,” explained Cin-dee Pletke, director of pupil personnel services, adding that Grubba was well-known for teaching other counselors and staying abreast of current issues.