School board to consider emergency news system

Welcome to hurricane season! The AP is reporting that HISD trustees will vote next week on a $600,000 emergency notification system that would call the parents of the district's more than 200,000 students in case a hurricane heads toward Houston. The system, which would be paid for with state technology funds, would let parents know about school closings or early releases — something most people have to find out from TV or radio stations now.

HISD spokesman Terry Abbott said the Connect-Ed system would give the district an ability it didn't have before Hurricane Rita last year. School principals would also be able to use the system to inform parents about meetings and new school policies with recorded messages directed to home or cell phone numbers the district has on file.

The school board is set to vote on the system June 8.