School Closings/Delays/Emergency Notification

a year ago

School Delay, Closing or Emergency 

 Dissemination of Information

Due to weather and other factors school may be closed, delayed, or event information changed.  A lot of the same protocols will be followed if there is an emergency in or around school and parents/guardians need to be notified. It is important for parents to get the latest information during these situations.
The school uses the following means of disseminating information when appropriate:

School Messenger Phone Service :
Barr-Reeve uses a phone service to notify parents and faculty. This service attempts to call the available numbers cataloged in our database (Harmony) to contact staff and guardians in case of a delay/closing/emergency.    Please make sure your home and cell phone numbers are up-to-date in order to receive these messages. The number that will show up on your caller ID is (812) 486-2768. Please save this number in your directory or contacts as BARR-REEVE MESSAGE.  This is a line the school uses for outgoing messages, but not one that can be used to contact the school. PLEASE DO NOT CALL THE NUMBER BACK, YOU WILL NOT REACH ANY SCHOOL PERSONNEL.

Tips for successfully receiving messages:

  • Saying “Hello” when answering the automated service ensures a proper message delivery. 
  • Some issues occur with extended answering machine greetings.  Limit your greeting to 15 seconds for optimal performance.
  • Musical greetings drop automated calls often. Change greeting if calls do not come through correctly.
  • The maximum number of rings this service waits for is 5.  Set answering machines to 4 rings for optimal performance.
  • Press 1 to replay the message.

If you have issues with this service please contact Jessica Mattingly, Secretary at the Central Office @ jmattingly@barr.k12.in.us by email or by phone @ 486-3220.  If you would like to add or change phone numbers that receive calls (limit three per family) please contact the Elementary Office @ 486-3224 or the MS/HS Office 486-3265.

School Closings and delays will also be broadcast on some local radio and TV stations. Please note that we are the BARR-REEVE Community School Corporation.

PLEASE DO NOT CALL THE SCHOOLS, BUS DRIVERS OR OTHER SCHOOL PERSONNEL.  Our lines are extremely busy as we call teachers, custodians, cooks, bus drivers,  and people who are making daily deliveries (bread, milk, fuel) to let them know we are closed.

Parents should also make alternative plans for their children in case we should delay opening school for one or two hours on days when we have ice or snow or some other problem.
Should a delay be announced, please continue to be on alert as the possibility exists that the decision could be changed to a closing instead of a delay.  We love to make calls on delays and cancellations the night before, but that doesn't always work out.  We usually try to make the morning decision by 6:00 AM.

*Let us know if you’ve changed your contact number so we can reach you in case of closings.