Technology Drives New Frontier in School Communications: 2020

Communication is critical in every environment, and that’s especially true of the classroom. The days of chalkboards and paging systems are now in the rearview, as technology elevates the art of communication. Mark Jones, VP of Sales for FrontRow, a leading provider of delivering effortless communication and AV solutions to the classroom, shares his perspective on the unification of communications and technology at TCEA 2020.

Mark said, “I’ve been in the business for 18 years, and great things happen when teachers wear microphones.” Of course, AV in schools has gone way beyond this and taken on an entirely new frontier, safety.

The conversations that many IT folks and superintendents have about communication platforms revolve around its features that offer more control over spaces to ensure security and safety. “We’re talking a lot about emergency preparedness plans and how FrontRow’s solutions can improve them,” Mark shared.

Many school districts worry they can’t afford to upgrade. To make such a change would seem like a huge infrastructure cost, but Mark offered why that’s a misconception. What’s really unique about FrontRow’s system is that it uses the existing infrastructure of old paging systems.

The speakers that line the halls and are in classrooms, they stay as well. “Schools have already wired their buildings, so it’s retrofitting. Except now, you have more advanced technology that can send out announcements, push them to phones, and even lock the doors.”

One additional advantage for the FrontRow products is that the school districts completely own them. Technology is often known to be obsolete once it’s installed. That’s not the case with FrontRow products. They can be updated and maintained by network administrators, and there are no licensing or maintenance fees.