Elk City, OK – Elk City Public Schools has added a new weather monitoring system designed to improve student safety and give school officials better information when making decisions about travel, outdoor activities and severe weather.

Superintendent Mike Sparks said the district recently installed a Perry Weather system, which provides localized weather information, lightning detection, travel monitoring and access to live meteorologists.

Sparks said one of the biggest reasons for the investment was the number of students who travel across Oklahoma for athletics, band, choir and other school activities.

“We had a time last year where we had kids in Tulsa, we had other kids in the southeastern part of the state, and we had storms pop up,” Sparks said.

Unlike a standard weather app, the system can use the location of coaches and students who are traveling. School personnel can communicate with a meteorologist who can provide information about approaching weather and, when necessary, recommend a safer route.

The district can track as many as 50 trips at the same time.

Sparks said the system should also be useful during the winter when administrators are deciding whether teams and other groups should travel based on road and weather conditions.

The need became particularly clear last year when Elk City golfers encountered unexpected severe weather while practicing for postseason competition.

“The golf team last year was practicing for their state playoff, and they ended up under an overpass because a storm came in they weren’t aware of,” Sparks said. “This would alert them ahead of time.”

The system also helps the district comply with Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association guidelines regarding heat. It monitors wet bulb globe temperature, which is used to determine when weather conditions require changes to outdoor practices and activities.

At Big Elk Stadium, the system includes lightning detection. When lightning is detected within 10 miles, a 30-minute safety countdown automatically begins. Another strike resets the countdown.

Sparks said the automated system removes some of the potential for human error when deciding when it is safe for students to return to the field.

The station also includes flashing warning lights and a speaker system. School officials can send announcements to the stadium remotely using a phone.

During a recent band practice, Sparks tested the feature from his office by sending a message over the stadium's public address system welcoming band director Mr. DeWitt and the Elk City High School band, the Pride of Western Oklahoma.

Weather information from the station is also expected to be added to the district's website. Parents and community members will be able to see current Elk City conditions, including temperature and humidity, along with an hourly forecast.

A camera associated with the station provides regularly updated images overlooking Big Elk Stadium, including the school's new press box and video board.

While many of the system's features are geared toward athletics and school travel, Sparks said it will be used throughout the district. Elementary administrators, for example, can use the localized information when deciding whether conditions are appropriate for students to go outside.

“There’s not any grade level that is not going to be touched and impacted by this,” Sparks said.

Sparks described the system as a relatively small investment that gives the district another tool for protecting students whether they are at school, traveling across Oklahoma or participating in outdoor activities.

“It increases our ability to track our kids, be weather aware, and keep everyone as safe as possible,” Sparks said.