About Us
Our Story: Established September 10, 2019. Our organization serves as a trusted communications backbone for educational institutions, school districts, families, and local communities across all 55 counties in West Virginia. Built on the foundational principle that rapid, verified information protects lives and resolves public uncertainty, we provide dependable, around-the-clock emergency alert operations and information dissemination.
Our Mission Statement: To protect communities and empower families by delivering precise, real-time emergency notifications without delay. We bridge the gap between institutional leadership and the public through unwavering 24/7/365 dispatch operations, ensuring critical updates reach every stakeholder when seconds count.
Our Vision Statement: To define the national standard for public safety communications and emergency notification dispatch. We envision connected, secure communities where school districts operate with complete trust, knowing their critical alerts, weather closures, and status changes are broadcast accurately, instantly, and reliably—every single hour of every day.
Our Core Values:
- Uncompromising Availability: Continuous 24/7 operational readiness with zero downtime for emergency notifications.
- Absolute Integrity: Accurate, verified status reports that school officials, parents, and community partners can depend on completely.
- Dedicated Leadership: Qualified, human-centered service where live dispatch personnel are always on duty to support our partner school districts and local institutions.
- Community Stewardship: Safe, tailored support built specifically to safeguard schools, libraries, and the local families they serve.
- Rapid Response: Immediate, clear communication channels that ensure critical updates reach administrators and staff without delay.
A Message from Our Executive Director
Welcome to Local School Alerts.
My name is Taran Nicholson, and as Founder and Executive Director, I want to personally welcome you to our website.
When I launched Local School Alerts on September 10, 2019, it was created out of a vital community need: families and school leaders required a modern, dependable standard for emergency notifications and delay reporting.
I recognized how much anxiety a lack of immediate information creates when severe weather hits, unexpected emergencies arise, or last-minute schedule changes impact thousands of households. I established Local School Alerts to solve that exact problem—building an organization dedicated to ensuring no family is left in the dark when crucial decisions are made.
Today, we are proud to have the full infrastructure and capability to cover all 55 counties across West Virginia. While our roots and primary focus are right here, our technology and operational model are built to scale. If you are outside our current footprint or wish to see expanded coverage, new features, or service in your specific region, we want to hear from you. We are always actively looking into new areas to expand our reach beyond state lines.
Since day one, our mission has been to remove the guesswork from school status reporting. We built this service to provide school superintendents and administrators with a secure, instantaneous line to broadcast updates, while giving parents a single, verified place to find accurate information without delay. Operating a 24/7/365 operations command center requires complete dedication, and it is a commitment my team and I uphold every single day.
Our growth is driven by the communities we serve, and we are always open to your feedback, ideas, and suggestions for the future. Whether you have ideas for new platform features, questions about district coverage, or want to request service in your area, please feel free to reach out to my office directly or contact any member of our staff.
Thank you for your trust and partnership as we keep our schools and communities connected.
Sincerely,
Taran Nicholson
Executive Director, Local School Alerts
