Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools announced on Tuesday a partnership with Vitals Aware Services, a communication service that uses an app to alert someone of a person’s conditions or needs. The school district believes it will help improve safety and the staff’s ability to better help students.

The Minnesota-based company was created to help first responders see important information about vulnerable individuals, like those with autism or dementia. The contract with the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools district is their first where the technology will be implemented for a school system.

CHCCS Director of Safe Schools Scarlett Steinert said at the press conference for the announcement the district had been meeting with Vitals since December and worked directly with them on how their app would operate in a school setting.

“We came away with a strong belief that this technology would give our staff a powerful resource,” Steinart said, “designated to help them better understand the needs of students living with visible and not visible conditions or disabilities.”

Vitals technology works predominantly through an app and small beacons. Families can put information about their child into the app, volunteering whatever details about their student they wish to share. A beacon the child carries, which comes either as a keychain, card or tile, alerts someone who has the app once they are within 80 feet. The information provided by the parents pops up in the child’s profile, with a description of behaviors, disabilities and preferences.

SRO Kurt Gurley speaks at the press conference where CHCCS announced its partnership with Vitals Aware Services to bring more safety to students. (Photo by Brighton McConnell)

Vitals’ Chief Communications Officer Stan Alleyne stressed that the school district is envisioning the resource for all students and parents who want staff to know their needs, not just students with disabilities. He said early implementation will be a learning process that will help find ways Vitals’ system can improve within schools.

“There’s no way adults can really know what’s going on,” said Alleyne. “There’s no way you can know if [suddenly] there are some anger issues that are cropping up, if there’s a divorce, if there’s some mental health concerns, or if their medications are changing. We’re going to run it with all this staff and all these students and really see how this works.”

CHCCS is implementing the technology by having principals, nurses, counselors and school resource officers download and actively use the app. The goal is to provide direct ways to access a student’s file and information to help de-escalate any situation.

Smith Middle School SRO Kurt Gurley said he’s excited this technology will be used through a phone app.

“There are times when I’m dealing with a situation, I need something and I need it right there,” said Gurley. “[I’m thinking] ‘how do I respond to this kid, what has worked in the past,’ and it may have just slipped my mind. But now I have it on my phone instead of going somewhere to get it, which is outstanding.”

CHCCS will be sending information out to parents soon about the Vitals network and how to participate. Implementation at Phoenix Academy High School will be the first phase of the technology’s rollout in the school district where all staff will have the app. Certain staff members at all other schools will use it shortly after.