A priority for our schools and students

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The priorities of the district for the safety, security, and technology components of the bond are:

• Communications System Platform

• Single points for public entry

• Electronic Access Control on specific exterior doors

• Interactive Classroom Video Conferencing system

 

The Communications System Platform will provide an updated unified platform for providing phones, bells, intercom, public address, and emergency notifications.  The need for an integrated system for communication arose from discovering the traditional phone system was failing, and no parts were available to fix the system.  In some schools, like Helena Middle School, we have “ghost bells” that randomly go off during the day. That particular manufacturer no longer supports the system and is unable to resolve the issue. Our intercom and public address systems are at their capacity, and we are unable to extend the system into additional classrooms and other areas in-use throughout the day.

 

The new communications system being installed as a result of the passage of the bond is a state-of-the-art flexible and scalable system, allowing the schools to grow as needed.  It is also based on industry-wide standards allowing us to replace components as needed rather than as a whole system.  This new unified communications system provides the necessary capabilities to ensure that we communicate with our faculty and staff in the most effective and efficient ways possible.

 

Single points for public entry is necessary to allow the public to quickly access the main office at each school.  For this project, we will look at each school and implement a custom plan to increase visibility of the main entrance, and to provide ease of access to the main office. This will assist the public as well and allowing us the opportunity to ensure that our students are safe from those that should not be wandering around our buildings.

 

Electronic Access Controls are being installed in all building.  Previously, our buildings were secured by traditional key lock mechanisms. The cost of replacing any misplaced keys was surprisingly expensive, not to mention rekeying the locks themselves.  Also, there are times when the public needs access to the schools. Rather than issuing keys that had a tendency to be misplaced, this system allows us to program doors to be open and locked based on dates/times that use is needed. In addition, if there is an emergency that requires all of the doors at a building or across the district, key staff can instantaneously lock the doors without each door needing to be physically visited. 

 

More and more teachers across the district want to connect their classes not only to other classes in the district, but classrooms across the world, resulting in the need for an interactive video conferencing system.  How engaging would it be to learn about the French culture from students in France?  This interactive video conferencing system is mobile and will provide the ability for an entire classroom to participate, instead of being clustered around a small laptop screen or mobile device.