Chicomm Blog

School administrators bear responsibility for so many things: compliance with regulations, relationships with parents and the community, and, of course, delivering the best education for their students. But possibly the most sensitive area of responsibility is student safety. Tragically, school shootings are in the news with increasing frequency. And while most principals and administrators are pouring a great deal of effort into ensuring safety in schools against that backdrop, for many administrators, it's difficult to know where to start.

One place to start is ensuring that school faculty are ready to deal with emergencies. Faculty are really the “first responders” in the event of an emergency, and they are often tasked with communicating with the public safety first responders to ensure proper actions can be taken. Administrators can ensure that faculty are ready to serve in this critical capacity by:

Schools are changing. No, not just the curriculums they offer or the lessons they teach (though those are quite different today than they were even just ten years ago), but the ways in which they use technology to keep students safe, informed, and connected.

Today, many schools have adopted location services, a technology that operates off of a GPS-style system. Location services can be used for just about anything, from sending emergency updates and obtaining student locations to offering interactive campus tours and even notes and content. The benefits are clear, and with today’s students being supremely comfortable with all things technological, the rollout is widely appreciated and is something that students, staff, and parents can get excited about.

Here are five ways your school can use location services:

How well does the WiFi work in your school? Chances are that your answer is close to “I guess it is fine. Spotty in some areas, but it works….sometimes.”

Myth: If we keep our students’ smartphones off the school network, it will run faster

"Rent VS Own" is one of the most common dilemmas people face in life. Should we be tenants or home owners? Should we lease this car or buy it? Should I just rent this movie or buy a copy? In most cases, there isn't a right wrong answer with this dilemma, as it truly relies on the unique situation you find yourself in. Believe it or not, this is actually the case when it comes to communication and two-way radios.

If you are looking into improving your communication with wireless technology, you've probably come across information about two-way radios. You may even be completely sold on them already, but you just aren't sure if you should rent them or own them. To help you make that decision, here is a quick look at some of the most popular reasons to buy or rent radios. 

From college campuses to K-12 classrooms, schools across the country are tasked with improving student safety and staff communication, especially in the wake of an emergency or violent situation. However, a limited budget can make these improvements seem daunting (or even impossible) for administrations to make.

Before we dive in and explore some various communications solutions for schools, here are a few insights courtesy of Motorola Solutions to help you visualize this issue.

Students heading off to college in the fall expect to be safe as they settle into their dorms and navigate their way through new campuses. With that expectation comes a need for colleges and universities to continually improve tactics for campus communucation, security and emergency response to ensure students remain safe during day-to-day activities, sporting events, and other school functions.

•       Analog Radio from Motorola
•       Digital Radio from Motorola
•       Digital Radio from Hytera
•       Unlicensed Digital Radios from Motorola
  

I stopped to think about this. The School District has no money, four incompatible radios and the need to provide safety, maintenance and transportation for students and faculty. The question immediately turned into why didn’t the retailer advise the customer of the problems of purchasing a disparate systems?

Are you wondering how a communications solution can help your organization? Many people across many industries are looking into adopting a communications solution to help them stay safe, become more efficient, and reduce costs. Here are the ways radio and network communications solutions can benefit you and your industry.

Education

School buildings and campuses become safe and efficient when the staff can communicate effectively. Creating an environment where students are always safe and can focus on learning is the core objective for schools around the country. In order to do this, schools need to adopt a comprehensive communications strategy that includes radio, network, security, and video solutions.