This article reports that the American public's favorite methods of notification are still phone and e-mail, but advancements in technology over the past several years have changed the way many district leaders contact parents when an emergency arises at school. The latest tech feature popular in the general public--text messages--is taking hold in some districts. Most mass notification systems allow administrators to log on to their own designated Web page on the company site and either type or record a message that can be sent via phone, e-mail or even text message to thousands of homes. District personnel can also log on to the system from home or call in messages, and most provide 24-hour help if an emergency arises and the administrator cannot access a computer. Some Web-based systems use software to connect the district to the emergency notification system and then train administrators how to use the software. Most mass notification companies maintain the district's parental contact numbers in their own system so if school closes, district officials can access the system through the telephone or by logging on to the company's Web site. Larger companies have multiple backup systems in case of a power outage. Having a variety of ways to contact parents in an emergency, including e-mail and texting, is optimal, because other methods can be faster when phones are jammed.