THE SCENARIO:
A small high school had an antiquated intercom installed in their classrooms and throughout their building. In the years since the original installation, many companies and parent volunteers had been enlisted to patch the system together to keep it running.
Despite their best efforts, there were still issues with the internal communication systems. The sixteen classroom stations either no longer worked or only partially functioned. The hallway paging system would sporadically cut in and out. Speakers in the gym, which were used for assemblies and sporting events, only worked from a local microphone and could not receive system notifications. If there was an emergency, staff would have to manually send an alert.
THE SOLUTION
The school applied for, and received, a state‑level technology grant and a federal-level security improvement grant, of which the PTSA provided matching dollars through fundraising. This gave the school the necessary funds to upgrade their infrastructure, intercoms, and security.
An intercom was installed and connected to network drops in each classroom, the main office, the teachers’ lounge, and the principal’s office. The same comprehensive intercom was also used to see and hear visitors through video intercoms at the doors. This made it easier to confirm identities before granting entry. Speakers were added to classrooms, ensuring announcements were heard by all students. The hallway speakers were updated, and the gymnasium was connected to the new system.
