Bishop Hartley High School Increases Student Safety and Lowers Costs Using IP Devices “How do you communicate in an emergency?”  This is a defining question that many schools have started asking themselves in the wake of a series of tragedies over the last decade. In response, we have created better plans to account for a host of potential situations.  Fire, weather, intruder, shooter, the list goes on. One large problem always remains, however. More plans introduce more levels of potential human error. With these detailed plans, how do you make sure that in any given event the correct information and procedure is followed, without any margin for mistakes?

"The value of the system is amazing, but the cost also is surprising. We were able to do away with costly repairs to our existing system. We actually saved money, by putting this in while improving student safety.”

Ken Collura, Technology Director

As Bishop Hartley High School found, delivering the right message at the right time through their existing legacy systems was difficult.  As their clocks, bells and paging collided with their phones and networks, they found they would have to adapt their plans to the limitations of their existing technology.

Knowing that many aging systems needed updates, and with many parties looking at different solutions for each, Ken Collura Technology Director said “Wait, stop everything. Let me look at a solution that can do everything.”

He found Advanced Network Devices.  Instead of looking for multiple systems and trying to make them “work together”, with PoE powered appliances he could bring together all of their core systems, providing updates to bells, paging, visual notification and clocks at once. Deploying the system on their existing network saved costly installation updates. What’s more, they could use the same mass notification software that they already used for their phones and communications.

“The biggest contribution of Advanced Network Devices is the ability to communicate at any place on campus,” stated Principal Mike Winters after the system was installed. “Whether it’s an innocuous announcement or more importantly if it’s a security issue.”

 Mike Winters, Principal

With all halls and classrooms fully covered, the high school now has visual notification and paging that is tailored to meet their own needs, and can adapt to their future plans as well. “The value of the system is amazing, but the cost also is surprising. We were able to do away with costly repairs to our existing system. We actually saved money, by putting this in.” Stated Collura. “..to be able to have all that control at one time, it changes the game.

True IP based paging and notification systems fundamentally have changed how we can respond to threats when seconds count. They have also changed how we use and roll out our core systems of paging, scheduling and clocks at the same time. Simpler rollouts, easier administration, and a level of automation come together to let you focus on what is most important, your student

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