New Jersey High School Debuts Auditorium Renovation, Technical Upgrades

  • By Matt Jones
  • 11/20/24

Plainfield High School in Plainfield, N.J., recently completed a series of construction projects including an auditorium renovation, a new eSports gaming arena, and a black-box theater, according to a news release. The school partnered with PureTek Group to install the Pliant Technologies CrewCom professional wireless intercom system, providing full coverage and clear communication across all new spaces.

The auditorium and black box theater are on one side of the building and the eSports arena made up of two adjacent classrooms on the other. The intercom system’s coverage capabilities have provided major benefits in practice, according to the news release.

Plainfield High School Auditorium
Photo courtesy of Pliant Technologies

“The eSports arena has only enough space for gamers and coaches, so for tournaments, the auditorium serves as a viewing area for audiences,” said PureTek Group Co-Founder and President Dan Litvin. “To achieve a collaborative performance, communication is key, so reliable coverage from a distance is a necessity. With Pliant, production personnel at the school are able to communicate clearly from the eSports arena all the way to the backstage booth in the auditorium.”

The intercom system uses “one CrewCom 2+2 Control Unit (CCU), three CrewCom 900MHz Radio Transceivers (RTs), seven CrewCom 900MHz 2-Volume/2-Conference Radio Packs with seven SmartBoom PRO single-ear headsets,” and accessories like a drop-in radio pack, battery charger, and supply cords.

Plainfield High School Backstage Auditorium Booth
Photo courtesy of Pliant Technologies

The system’s ability to use multiple channels has also worked in the school’s favor. Booth operators, auditorium operators, the backstage area, and eSports broadcasting personnel can all communicate among each other on separate feeds to have single conversations, the news release reports.

“We now have cutting-edge technology, and we’re very excited that our students have the opportunity to be very hands-on in terms of learning the equipment,” said Jean Gordon, Plainfield Public Schools’ Chief of Instruction and Programs. “We are now offering our students a new skillset that they can take out into the world.”

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at mjones@1105media.com.

Featured

  • Exhale Fans Launches New Generation of Bladeless Ceiling Fan

    Exhale Fans recently announced the launch of Gen. 5 of its flagship HVAC delivery product, the world’s only bladeless ceiling fan, according to a news release. The fan provides users with a 10% savings on HVAC energy costs and requires no renovations to current systems to install.

  • Illinois Elementary School Breaks Ground on Campus Expansion

    Heather Hill Elementary School, part of Flossmoor School District 161 in Palatine, Ill., recently broke ground on a new addition to the school focused on student support and security, according to a news release. The district partnered with Wold Architects & Engineers for the expansion as part of a longer-term facility planning and modernization initiative.

  • Oregon Institute of Technology to Construct $35M Mass Timber Residence Hall

    Oregon Institute of Technology in Klamath Falls, Ore., recently announced the construction of a new, $35-million mass timber residence hall, according to college news. The facility will stand four stories, have room for 517 students, and cover 86,710 square feet to address the college’s need for more on-campus housing.

  • Beeville ISD Starts Construction on New Elementary School

    The Beeville Independent School District near Corpus Christi, Texas, recently began a construction project that will consolidate two existing, aging schools into a new elementary school, according to a news release. The district is partnering with Pfluger Architects and Spawglass General Contractors for the design and construction, respectively, of the new facility.