If you have heard of Badge Messenger®, you probably already know how this communication technology allows school staff to alert one another to different types of emergencies. Whether they are facing an on-campus threat or a severe weather event, teachers and administrators with Badge Messenger can communicate better and keep students as safe as possible.
Of course, no one ever wants to be in one of these emergencies, and thankfully, many schools never will be. However, that doesn’t mean Badge Messenger is a “just in case” product that may never be necessary. Its uses in an educational setting extend to many non-emergency situations too. The day-to-day influence of its tech is where much of the value comes from.
Badge Messenger can be used for a wide variety of communications between school staff during daily activities. Whether your teachers need support from the main office or a custodian, it is an excellent way to call for assistance without leaving students unsupervised or disrupting class time.
If you haven’t considered before how Badge Messenger can support your staff and students in non-emergency situations, here are some common scenarios where this technology makes things easier for everyone involved.
1. When a Student Is Ill or Hurt
Every teacher expects to encounter upset stomachs and scraped knees during their career. That’s the reality of working with young people. However, it can be difficult for a teacher to turn their attention away from a classroom to help a sick or injured student.
There may also be times when a student faces a more urgent medical need than a stomach ache. If you have students with severe allergies, diabetes, seizure disorders, or any other medical condition they need help managing, their teachers need to be able to report a crisis to the school nurse or support staff right away.
Badge Messenger is the perfect solution for requesting the aid of a nurse in any of these scenarios. With just the touch of a button, teachers can quickly call for the school’s medical professional with minimum disruption to the class.
2. When a Teacher Requires Backup
To work effectively, teachers need to know they have support from administrators. One way to provide this support is to be readily available when teachers need another colleague in the classroom. Badge Messenger is a simple, discreet way for teachers to request help when they are facing a challenging situation.
Students aren’t the only ones who get sick. If a teacher suddenly falls ill or has an accident, they need to be able to call for assistance right away. With Badge Messenger, they can request a backup person to supervise their class while they step out.
Teachers may also face uncomfortable or threatening scenarios where they require backup, such as in the presence of an unapproved guest or when dealing with frustrated parents or guardians. Badge Messenger allows teachers to call for assistance before non-emergency situations escalate into emergencies.
3. When a Classroom Needs Supplies
School supplies have a habit of disappearing or running low at the most inconvenient times.
Whether a classroom has run out of supplies during art time, or a smart board/tech isn’t working, it can be problematic for a teacher to stop class to look for more supplies or equipment. They lose valuable teaching time when a lesson or activity must be put on pause, and it is inadvisable to leave a class unattended. Schools that are facing staffing shortages are more likely to experience this inconvenience.
A better alternative is to use Badge Messenger to request supplies or IT support to be brought to the classroom by another staff member. This allows the teacher to continue teaching and save precious class time as they wait for missing supplies.
4. When a Student Needs an Escort
Just as it is unwise to leave a classroom alone, it is also ill-advised to leave a single student unattended in many scenarios. This situation arises most often when a student needs to use the restroom or go to the office. Many classrooms have teacher aids to act as supervisory escorts, and older students can usually be trusted to behave when alone in the hallways.
But what if the aid is not available, or a student is not capable of responsible behavior?
Teachers often send unruly students to the office for disciplinary action and must further disrupt class by finding them an escort or trust that the student will go there on their own. Some teachers may have students who are too young to traverse the hallways alone or special needs students who require assistance.
Finally, it isn’t unheard of to lose track of a student from time to time. They don’t hear the recess whistle, are dawdling in the bathroom, or get lost at a school assembly. When a teacher does a headcount and realizes someone is missing, they’ll need help searching for that student while still keeping an eye on the rest of the class.
Like in other scenarios we’ve discussed, Badge Messenger is an easy way for teachers to request support from other staff. Badge Messenger’s CAREL system notifies office staff or other colleagues that an extra adult is needed to keep students from roaming the hallways unattended.
5. When a Classroom Has Custodial and Maintenance Needs
The unsung heroes of school facilities are the custodians. Schools experience a lot of messes and wear and tear. They rely on janitorial staff to keep things clean and in working order.
Sometimes messes and malfunctions occur during class time and cannot be ignored. Badge Messenger can minimize interruptions to the learning process by sending direct requests to custodial staff for assistance.
Did a light go out? Was there a large spill? Did the trash can go missing? Whatever cleaning or maintenance need arises, your janitors can be quickly reached through Badge Messenger so that students can continue learning in a clean environment.
Communication for Non-Emergency Situations
Badge Messenger is more than just a tool for your school’s classroom emergency procedure. It’s a vital asset in supporting your administrators and teachers in their usual activities. Whatever your staff needs during the school day, Badge Messenger allows them to quickly and privately make their requests without disrupting the learning process or classroom environment.
