Schools to use apps for reporting threat

School district officials have signed up for a smartphone app they believe will allow perceived threats to be sent anonymously to administrators and provide staff with critical information during emergencies.

The Anonymous Alert software was discussed during a Board of Education meeting Tuesday, with Superintendent Seth Turner saying a recent incident about a Facebook posting underscores the need for a more effective system to learn about potential problems.

“Our own recent incident happened only because of an anonymous tip,” he said. “Unfortunately, it took ... students having to go to a teacher and that teacher protected their anonymity and that teacher has also asked to remain anonymous through this.”

Police report that concerns raised by the students led to the Feb. 27 arrest of Saugerties High School senior Connor Chargois, 18. He and his father, Bruce Chargois, 58, were charged with weapons-related felonies after the teen allegedly posted on social media that he admired the Columbine High School killers and felt “full of rage.” Both have been released from custody pending court action.

Turner said the system was being considered prior to the March 14 shooting that killed 17 people at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla.

“We realize we had to do more, that had those students not gone to that teacher, what about the 1,200 other students that are here,” he said. “We wanted to give them an opportunity.”

Officials said the Anonymous Alert system is expected to gone online by April 2 and will cost $1,300 through the end of June. Another app called Smart Button is also expected to go online at $2,100 and provide teachers with a way to be alerted to emergency situations.

“This next app ... is really what I’d say is the most modern and up-to-date ... (for providing) staff all over the building with opportunities, at the push of a button, (to) put in a panic report,” Turner said.

“These are parts of what will be integrated into the strategic plan specific to (a board safety) goal,” he said. “It’s going to take a couple months ... but we wanted to show you some of the initiatives that have gone on in just the last couple of weeks and where we’re going.”