Chicomm Blog

Communication is a critical component of any public safety effort. In a school setting, it’s particularly important that administrators, school resource officers and local law enforcement be able to communicate clearly and effectively for a quick and appropriate response. Yet, too often budgets and competing priorities make the price of a communications strategy too high. That’s where school safety grants can help. Here are three things to keep in mind in finding these grants to purchase the vital communications equipment that can support safety and security in schools.

To enhance and ensure school safety, educators across the country are using a combination of policy and security technology to protect students, staff and visitors alike, according to a national survey.

The latest data from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) describes what school security measures have been put in place for the 2015-2016 school year to improve safety. For each measure, an overall percentage is available, as well as breakdowns by primary schools, middle schools and high schools.

According to the NCES, here are eight things educators are doing to improve school safety. 

Enhancing safety in schools is a challenge that requires a range of solutions, from changes in behavior to advancements in technology in schools.

At the same time, educators are increasingly being challenged to use technology to ensure that they’re nurturing the next generation of innovative students.

Given the budgetary concerns facing campuses large and small, it’s important to invest in technology that’s both effective and cost-effective. But how can you be sure that you’re choosing the right products and systems?

When it comes to effective communications technology in education, it’s clear that cell phones can no longer meet the dual demands of day-to-day school operations and safety.

School District 214, the second-largest high school district in Illinois, was one of our many education clients to recognize that they needed a secure communications equipment solution that would give personnel the power to communicate instantly and reliably.  

The video and summary below provide a technology in education case study of how we created a integrated, seamless communications infrastructure that has increased school safety and optimized the district’s daily operations.

Keeping a step ahead of school VPN on student smartphones and devices may feel like a race you’ll never win – as soon as administrators find a new way to keep your internet safe and secure, students find a new way around it.

The best approach for ensuring security is to employ a mix of secure communications equipment, technology, and policy that allows school leadership to set clear expectations about internet access, identify wrongdoing and handle it quickly.

Outsmarting school VPN on student smartphones and devices will keep you on your toes, but the safety of your campus depends on it.

Two way radios are a natural fit for mastering secure school communications because they’re built with safety in mind.

Radios, particularly digital two way radios, have an endless array of features, functionality and applications that can be tailored for safety in any school setting, from K-12 to college campuses.

Keep reading for the key benefits that two way radios deliver in mastering secure school communications.

Who better to provide inspirational quotes for school administrators than educators themselves?

The teachers, professors, administrators, researchers, activists and innovators below have each changed the world in their own way and continue to leave behind big ideas we can all strive to live by. We've even thrown in a wizard for good measure.

Culled from Ancient Greece to modern-day Texas, here are 30 inspirational quotes for school administrators from luminaries in the field.

Anyone on a college campus who’s ever been let down by a cell phone’s spotty reception or an overloaded cell network will immediately appreciate the benefits of long range two-way radios.

Range, reliability and interoperability are the unbeatable assets against even the smartest smartphones out there.

With that comparison in mind, here are the top three benefits of long range two-way radios for college campuses. To make the right selections for your campus, make sure to work with two-way radio service providers who specialize in campus public safety. 

In Illinois, STARCOM has made statewide radio for public safety a reality, bridging communications across local, state and federal jurisdictions, including colleges and universities.  

Given the importance of two-way radios as a top communication tool for school safety and even school bus safety, it makes sense to maximize their reach with a system like STARCOM, also known as STARCOM21.

Here’s a quick overview of what stepping up campus security with statewide radio for public safety looks like.

To dig a little deeper, let’s look at just one example of the future of school technology through so-called “flipped” classrooms.