PA system deemed ‘a collector’s item’ to be replaced at Blind Brook MS/HS

July 24, 2024 at 11:45 p.m.
Blind Brook Middle School Principal Seth Horowitz poses for a photo on June 21 with the only phone in the building that can be used to make announcements using the PA system, which will be replaced by the start of the new school year. The $464,000 project will modernize the unit for convenience and safety purposes.
Blind Brook Middle School Principal Seth Horowitz poses for a photo on June 21 with the only phone in the building that can be used to make announcements using the PA system, which will be replaced by the start of the new school year. The $464,000 project will modernize the unit for convenience and safety purposes. (David Tapia/Westmore News)

By DAVID TAPIA | Comments: 0 | Leave a comment
Reporter

Though various building improvements across the Blind Brook School District are in the process of consideration for a large-scale bond project, one upgrade is already expected to be completed by the next school year: a new PA system at the Middle/High School.

It was a need presented to the Board of Education during the 2024-25 budget development by Blind Brook Director of Technology Charles Von Hollen. The $464,000 replacement of a system deemed archaic was approved with the rest of the $59.98 million spending plan on May 21.

The system is used in place of a bell to signify the end of a school period, make general and emergency announcements and other types of communications to specific areas of the building.

Von Hollen said the need for a replacement stems from several problems seen with the current aging system.

“It’s sort of a twofold problem,” he said during an interview in his office on May 20. “We have an aging unit that, over time, has become antiquated. And we’ve also run into several issues with it in recent years.”

While not as old as other parts of the building, as it was purchased by the district in 1995, technology in the industry has changed dramatically since then.

“The PA system in the building is completely analog. There’s a controller wired directly into speakers,” Von Hollen explained. “It’s old. We’ve had vendors look at it and say that it’s a collector’s item.”

Its age makes maintenance more complicated than it should be.

“A lot of companies don’t really service systems that aren’t sold anymore,” the technology director said. “We had one maintenance request take over six months, which was really unfortunate.”

Its analog nature makes it difficult to expand the system.

“Any time we’ve renovated the building, we’ve had problems,” Von Hollen said. “When we added the Fab Lab and other classrooms, crews had to add the new speakers and manually wire them back to the head end in the main office of the middle school. It took a very long time to do.”

The new system, which is expected to be completed by the start of the school year, will be a hybrid unit of analog and internet network-based speakers.

“In a number of hallways, the speakers will stay wired in because we can save a little money and get the same functionality,” Von Hollen said. “But in other areas, like classrooms, we want flexibility. So, we’ll be installing IP speakers.”

Those devices will be able to function wirelessly, allowing for easier installation when needed. On top of that, they will be able to function in the event of a blackout.

“If the power were to go out right now, the analog system would go down,” Von Hollen said. “But all of our network items have battery backups, so the new PA system would still be operational for a period of time.”

The new system’s controller will also allow for greater versatility in how announcements can be made—something that could be very useful in a building that houses two institutions.

“In a place like the Middle/High School, there are certain areas that overlap, but others that don’t,” he said. “So let’s say there’s high school testing in a common area and the middle school goes to make an announcement, that testing would get interrupted.”

Von Hollen explained that the new PA system could be programmed to avoid those scenarios.

“We’ll be able to isolate either campus and really make things easier and more convenient for everyone,” he said.

Part of that convenience will be seen in how announcements are made.

Middle School Secretary Lori Paisley has two phones on her desk, one for calls while the other operates the intercom. Should anyone in the building need to use the PA system, they would need to physically make the trip to that office or ask her to do it. But the new technology will give administrators access from anywhere in the district.

Von Hollen said the swap will bring a great deal of convenience for those using it, but the decision to spend $464,000 on the project was largely for security reasons.

“We’ve spent the last several years upgrading our security and safety across the district, and this will supplement the upgraded phone and access systems,” he said.

“For example, should a scenario where a lockdown or shelter in place needs to occur, you’d be able to use any phone in the district to initiate it,” Von Hollen said. “An automatic announcement will then be broadcast through the PA system, disable access to the building and alert the necessary authorities.”

He added that the new broadcast system will include an updated visual element.

“There are places in the building that can get very loud, making it difficult to hear any announcement, like the cafeteria or gymnasium,” Von Hollen said. “There will be an alert on a digital message board that will help people understand what that announcement is.”

Once the replacement is complete, Von Hollen is left with a new question: What should be done with the old system?

“We haven’t really had any firm discussions about it, but there might be some districts that could use the parts,” he said. “But we’ve had some of the contractors who’ve seen it get very excited and tell me it’s a collector’s item.”



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