The Richardson Independent School District will soon be implementing a new system that will keep parents up-to-date in case of any emergencies like the tornado incident a few weeks ago. The school district will enable text/SMS messaging from their child's school to parents and guardians beginning on Friday, April 27.

The text messages will be part of the existing Blackboard Connect automated notification system that RISD uses to send telephone and email messages to parents. With this new system, parents and guardians will also have the option to receive an abbreviated version of telephone message as a text message.

On the afternoon of April 27, all parent and primary guardian telephones will be sent an initial confirmation text message from RISD. The message will notify parents that the text service has begun and any parents wishing to decline the service can follow simple reply instructions to opt out. Parents that wish to have the service will not need to do anything.

Normal message or usage rates may apply depending on the user's service plan. To receive text messages, the primary phone number on the file with the child's school must be enabled to receive text messages. If the phone number needs to be changed, contact the student data specialist at that child's school.