Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

What can we learn about campus communication from K–12 districts?

  • By Jaime Mendez
  • 04/01/18

Historically, there wasn’t much in common between primary/secondary schools and college campuses in terms of communication needs. Class bells weren’t useful. Campus size made paging systems impractical. But the advent of new technologies—and new threats—should prompt college facilities professionals to take some pointers from their K–12 cousins.

Many K–12 campuses have moved to network-based distributed communication—putting functions like paging, intercom, and bells on the LAN instead of separate hardwired analog systems—as a way to increase efficiency, flexibility, and safety. Basically, that means a server, a software interface, and a variety of flexible IP-addressable endpoints in classrooms, offices, and interior/exterior common areas. For example, staff can set up different zones for voice paging or digital signage messages, and make changes anytime with a few clicks. Schools have also gained new safety functionality: panic buttons in classrooms, silent alerts, and instant triggering of lockdowns and all-clears from the office or even a mobile device. Integrating all these functions under a single platform is a big plus.

Because the technology scales on infrastructure are already present on campus, it makes sense for colleges to consider adapting it to their needs. Taking emergency preparedness as an example, how would an instructor alert others of a potential threat today? If locking doors were an appropriate response to that threat, how would you do it, and should the same process automate communication across the entire campus? Also important, do you have a way to tell everyone the emergency is over?

Many prominent K–12 districts have good answers to these questions. If yours aren’t quite so clear, it’s worth taking a closer look at the solutions they’ve been creating.

This article originally appeared in the College Planning & Management April 2018 issue of Spaces4Learning.

About the Author

Jaime Mendez serves as architectural consultant at FrontRow. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Building Beyond Simulation: Creating Immersive Ecosystems for Healthcare Education

    Health sciences education is one of the fastest-growing facility types in colleges and universities. The demand for medical, nursing, and allied health professionals is driving the creation and renovation of medical simulation training facilities that provide students with real-world experience through advanced simulation-based learning.

  • Q&A: How to Prevent Kitchen Grease Fires in Commercial Kitchens

    School cafeterias and university dining halls serve thousands of meals daily, relying on high-heat equipment like fryers, grills, and ovens. While these operations keep students fed, they also generate significant grease-laden vapors. Without proper controls, this grease becomes a silent fire threat. As a certified exhaust cleaning specialist and business coach who has helped hundreds of institutional facilities achieve NFPA 96 compliance, I emphasize that proactive grease management isn’t optional; it’s a core fire/life safety practice.

  • Washington State University Debuts New Engineering Hall

    Washington State University recently celebrated a dedication ceremony for the new Schweitzer Engineering Hall on its Pullman campus in Pullman, Wash., according to university news. The facility measures 66,288 square feet, and its completion marks the first milestone in a larger university effort to modernize the engineering and design district.

  • Back-to-School Playground Safety: 7 Common Hazards to Look for After Summer Break

    As summer break comes to an end, school administrators have plenty to prepare before students return. While classrooms, hallways and common areas often receive attention during all the back-to-school preparations, the playground should not be overlooked. Months of weather exposure, storms, and regular wear can leave behind hazards that may not be immediately noticeable.