Simpler Software, Safer Schools

Just west of Madison, Wisconsin, Middleton-Cross Plains School District was facing a problem when it came to crisis communication. With 13 building, 7,000 students and 1,500 faculty members, the district needed a way to reach everyone in the event of a crisis.

Mass communication within a school district is challenging even on the best of days, but throw in the complications of severe weather, facility issues, or emergency situations, and those communications become even more difficult to manage.

Singlewire says…

When it comes to keeping everyone informed, phone chains and email blasts are rarely an effective method to spread the word. To be ready for any emergency, the district needed a new system.

So, they brought in Singlewire. We’re a Cisco Solution Partner that develops InformaCast, a top-level mass notification software.

InformaCast is a centralized software solution that connects disparate systems to push out emergency messages. Its ability to connect with Cisco IP phones and other devices like IP speakers and desktop computers, makes communication simple. From the platform, the district can execute tasks both big and small, from sending mass notifications that reach everyone to scheduling daily school bells.

It doesn’t just make communicating easier. It makes it faster, too. Faculty and staff can call for help with a push of a button on their phone system, allowing first responders to know exactly where the call is coming from, down to the exact classroom location. This is especially crucial for school district of this size, which works with several different fire stations, police stations and EMTs.

Now, the Middleton-Cross Plain Area School District can better manage crisis events and work more effectively to students and staff safe and informed.

The story doesn’t stop there…