CASE STUDY: Plainfield Community School Corporation

Located in Indiana, Plainfield Community School Corporation was in the market for new school paging intercom systems for three of its elementary schools. The manufacturer of their current systems no longer existed and the district knew it was only a matter of time before the aged products needed an update. Staying proactive, John Crum, Director of Technology for Plainfield Community School Corporation, invited Fairchild Communication Systems, Inc. and three other companies to propose new systems. While evaluating their options, it was important to the school principals, the primary users of the systems, that they were user-friendly, flexible, required low maintenance and took up less wall space. After further review, they contracted Fairchild Communication Systems, Inc., because they had worked with them on a past project and trusted their capabilities of delivering a quality service and reliable system.

The team of professionals at Fairchild Communication Systems, Inc. provided several different customized communication solutions for the elementary schools. The favored and recommended product, Bogen Nyquist, was selected because of its ease of use, functionality, and versatility.  This was also a cost-effective solution because the latest features could be deployed using existing speakers and cabling. Using the new equipment, the team of technicians at Fairchild Communication Systems, Inc. installed the systems into all three schools and tested its features while teaching the administration how to best use the interface. Since the installation was taking place during the school year, the team organized the project schedule so that each school would have less than a day of not being able to make announcements and sending bell schedule tones.  The school administrators were very pleased with the outcome. At Central Elementary, they were especially pleased because the old, large rack of equipment that once partially blocked a walkway was now replaced with a sleek wall mount cabinet that secured all the components discreetly (see photos).

“I was impressed with Fairchild Communication Systems’ dedication to the project from start-to-finish,” Director of Technology for Plainfield Community School Corporation John Crum said. “They were very good about documenting everything they found, even things that weren’t in their wheelhouse and would advise us on systems that needed attention or maintenance.”

With Fairchild Communication Systems, Inc.’s comprehensive services and the state-of-the-art Bogen Nyquist equipment, the principals were able to modify intercom paging and zones, implement bell scheduling, program music, and much more, tightening the school’s overall security communications plans. With a system that has proven to be stress-free and secure, the principals and their schools can focus on doing what they do best—fostering the best possible tools for success while maximizing the safety of their students and staff.

“The customer service was excellent,” Principal of Central Elementary School Julie Thacker said. “The professional technicians were very helpful and provided hands-on training to help me learn the new system. Since having it, we’ve seen significant improvements in sound quality and have been able to program in every room, which has made a huge difference for our school.”