Multi-building campus benefits from synchronizing its new wireless and legacy wired clock systems.
Overview
Since 1874, Trinity Lutheran School in Spring, Texas has provided a private Christian education. It is state and nationally accredited, and in 2014 it was named a National Exemplary School by the National Lutheran School Association, making it one of only eight schools in the U.S. to receive this honor. It was also named a 2006 National Blue Ribbon School by the No Child Left Behind program of the U.S. Department of Education. Students in grades 1-8 regularly rank in the top 10 percent of national achievement test norms.
Challenge
Trinity Lutheran school campus includes a church and several school buildings that cover approximately 200,000 square feet. The teachers, staff and 750 students in pre-Kindergarten through eighth grade relied on two master clock systems to control the clock displays across three buildings. However, the two systems were not in sync with each other and one master clock was more than 20 years old. Three other buildings did not have any synchronized clocks or bells at all. The school needed a solution that could synchronize the time across all buildings and existing wired clocks, new wireless clocks, as well as digital and analog bells.
Solution
Facilities manager Bill Seay selected an American Time 10-watt system controller that seamlessly integrated with both the new wired clock system and existing wired clocks. The SiteSync IQ solution is also able to sync and control the school bells, thereby increasing the buildings’ operational efficiencies, improving student and staff punctuality, and cutting the maintenance time needed to adjust the on/off times of clock and bell systems.
“We already had an American Time system,” said Seay. “It lasted so long, I have no doubt that this new one will last too. It’s a good product.”
Results
That fall, students started the school year with clocks that showed the same, precise time throughout the entire campus, ensuring better punctuality, prompt class start and end times, and an automatic, hassle-free adjustment to the end of daylight saving time in November.
“Even if the two previous systems were only a minute off, it could impact whether students were tardy, especially if there were coming from another building,” said Seay. “Now, everyone is on the same page and the technology works great.”