MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP - Too many families have been shaken up this year, by having to worry about their children's safety while at school.

The sound of a phone going off is one parents have come to know and love; oftentimes, it's a message from their children, updating them on how their day is going.

However, at Haslett Public Schools, parents can "opt in" to receive alert messages to let them know what's going on in an emergency situation.


"We use Sky-Alert typically for school closings or other emergency situations," said Jeffrey Cassin, Director of Technology at Haslett Public Schools. "We can choose to send out a recorded phone message, or an email, or a text message, or any combination of the three."

The Sky-Alert system was recently put to use, after the shooting in Haslett.

"We believed the threat was gone, but we weren't absolutely certain, and so the best route was to simply allow classes to begin," said Lieutenant Greg Frenger of Meridian Township Police. "We had police officers at the schools, and once everybody was inside, then the schools were in what they call an external lockdown, where there is very limited access to the building."

Lieutenant Frenger says it's important for parents to remain calm in emergency situations, so the police can handle a potential act of violence in the most organized way possible.