Showcase at National Conference on Bullying to Feature SchoolMessenger's Talk About It Anonymous Bullying-Prevention Service

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. and ORLANDO, Fla., Feb. 15, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- National Conference on Bullying -- SchoolMessenger, the leading provider of communication solutions for education, today announced it will host the first public demonstration of its recently acquired Talk About It® service at the 2012 National Conference on Bullying, which takes place February 15-17 in Orlando. Talk About It is the first and only anonymous communication service that enables students to 'speak up' by engaging in text or online messaging with trusted school staff members. Originally launched in 2005, and currently in use by more than 300,000 students, Talk About It is now available as an on-demand solution to schools and districts nationwide, regardless of the notification service they employ.

Each year the National Conference on Bullying gathers experts together to examine the issue of bullying and share strategies to address it. Carter B. Myers, vice president of Anonymous Communication Solutions at SchoolMessenger, will participate in a Program Showcase on Monday from 3:00-5:00 p.m. (Main Ballroom) to discuss how Talk About It has improved safety in schools around the country.

"We applaud the conference organizers for fostering a national discussion around the topic of bullying and showcasing solutions and strategies that educators can use to combat the problem in their communities," said Mr. Myers. "Our Talk About It service is aimed directly at students, who we believe represent the best source for knowing what's going on inside their school. By empowering them with an anonymous, mobile tool we strive to create a culture in which they are comfortable breaking 'the code of silence' and reporting problems before it's too late."

Talk About It is a preventative service that allows faculty to meet students where they are – online and with text messaging. If a problem or threat should arise, students are empowered to send an anonymous message to a trusted school staff member to alert them. Because their communication can be relayed anonymously, it allows students to begin a confidential, two-way dialogue that can lead to immediate and actionable results. The use of text messaging and email – largely ubiquitous among today's students – also reduces the stigma of being seen reaching out to a counselor or faculty member or 'snitching' on a fellow student.

For more information about Talk About, including a 3-minute video introduction and free, downloadable white paper (Creating a Culture of Dialogue: Practical Steps for Better Communication and Safer Schools), visit http://talk.schoolmessenger.com.

About SchoolMessenger

SchoolMessenger is the leading provider of communication solutions for education. Thousands of school districts, public schools, colleges, universities, private schools and other educational facilities in all 50 states depend on the company's innovative solutions, including the SchoolMessenger notification service and Talk About It anonymous communication service. Founded in 1999, the company is headquartered in Santa Cruz, California. For information, visit http://www.schoolmessenger.com or call 888.527.5225.

Media Contact:
Carleen LeVasseur
SchoolMessenger Public Relations
408-264-6767
[email protected]

SOURCE SchoolMessenger