HUGHESVILLE — East Lycoming School Board unanimously agreed Tuesday to continue looking into purchasing a communication service that would change how the district’s employees react to an emergency.

Superintendent Michael Pawlik told the board about NaviGate, an app and service that could improve how teachers in the district would alert authorities and communicate with other teachers in the buildings if a crisis were to occur on district property.

Pawlik demonstrated how the district’s current method for the teachers to communicate to one another during a crisis is dated, by showing how easy it is to choke communications on a radio transmitting device.

“A radio requires a pencil and a rubberband to completely deactivate,” Pawlik said. “The only way this won’t work is if you take down every cell tower in the district and the district’s internet access.”

The app would allow any teacher to press a button and alert every phone, tablet and computer connected to the service that there is an emergency.

“As soon as I hit ‘intruder in building,’ even if your phone is on vibrate, it will create a unique sound,” Pawlik said.

Along with the ability to alert the teachers of a threat, the app also will allow for a live chat that would keep law enforcement and other district employees aware of what is happening. NaviGate also will connect the district’s digital cameras to a map of the school made with 360-degree photography to help law enforcement understand the crisis before acting.

“We wanted to find a solution that solved the problem and wasn’t a placebo,” Pawlik said.

The app would cost a first-time fee of $14,000 and a yearly fee of $7,000, but Pawlik said the district will be looking into options to lower that price.

In other business, the board hired Michael Lambert as an assistant baseball coach for the 2018 season, at a stipend of $2,286. Voting yes were Richard Michael, Richard Bradley, Donna Gavitt, Erica Hubler, Michael Mamrak, Karen Berger, Lisa McClintock and Robert Heckrote. Voting no was Kristy Creasey.

The board also hired Robert Gavitt as a full-time custodian for $11.81 per hour. Voting yes were Michael, Bradley, Hubler, Mamrak, Berger, McClintock and Heckrote. Gavitt voted no.

Jefferey Bower was unanimously approved as an athletic volunteer for the 2018 boys tennis season, and the 2018-19 school calender final reading was approved.