A technical glitch in the Anchorage School District’s mass notification system caused confusion among families on Thursday morning. The glitch occurred through the district’s Finalsite system, which sends emails, texts, and app notifications. This issue affected the school’s communication about the delayed start due to icy roads,
The districts initially announced a two-hour delayed start. However, a few hours later, families received an email written in Latin. Parent Kenya Sharp said she used Google Translate but didn’t understand the message. The email was supposed to inform parents that the district would switch to remote learning, except for Girdwood K-8.
Corey Allen Young, a district spokesperson, explained that the glitch occurred while trying to send language translations to families. Instead, a Latin template was published. The district apologized for the mistake and any confusion caused.
An updated message was sent to families at 7:20 a.m. The district translates content into at least five languages: English, Spanish, Samoan, Hmong, and Tagalog. The district is working with Finalsite to eliminate the template.
The Anchorage School District’s technical glitch was resolved, and families received the correct information about the school’s remote learning day. The incident highlighted the importance of reliable communication systems, especially during school communication. The district will review its protocols to prevent similar incidents and ensure smooth communication with families.
This news story was originally published by Alaska’s News Source.
