The back-to-school season brings a multitude of tasks. One crucial aspect is ensuring your Public Address (PA) system is fully operational for smooth communication throughout the school. Wahsega is here to assist with this comprehensive guide to prepare your PA system for the new academic year.
3 Steps to Getting your School PA System Ready
Test Your PA System
Are Announcements Clear and Audible?
Start by testing the core functionality of your school’s PA system. Begin with a live announcement, such as the morning announcements. Ensure the message is audible throughout the entire school. Once this is confirmed, proceed to test individual zones and classrooms. Every speaker should deliver clear sound to guarantee that announcements reach every corner of the school.
Check for Offline Speakers
Using the Carina system, you can quickly identify offline devices via the Carina Event Manager dashboard. On the Individual Devices page, you can see which devices are offline.
Bonus: Adjust Volume Levels
Is the volume too loud or too soft in certain classrooms? With the Carina system, you can easily adjust each speaker’s volume from the Carina Event Manager.
Test Call Buttons / Intercoms
Can you hear me now? Verify that all call buttons in classrooms and other locations are operational. These buttons are vital for quick communication between teachers and the main office in emergencies or for special announcements.
With the Carina system, each call button can be configured to dial different extensions for short and long presses. Test both functionalities to ensure reliability.
Audit Classroom Changes
Did your school add a new section or trailer classrooms over the summer? Have existing classrooms been reassigned to different schedules or grades? For example, if classroom 304 was for 3rd grade last year and is now allocated for 4th grade with a different bell schedule, you can easily change the zone of any speaker in the Carina Event Manager.
Pro Tip: Keep a handy sheet of classrooms, speakers, and extensions. If you don’t have one, download our free speaker and extensions template.
Set the Bell Schedule
Standard Days
Set your standard schedule first, then add specific schedules by date range and day of the week to the school calendar. With the Carina Cloud portal, administrators can set schedules even while off-campus.
Modified Days
Modified days include schedules for early release days, standardized testing, flex days, and more. Create a bell schedule for each modified day and add it to the calendar by date and day of the week. Pre-configuring these schedules saves time and reduces confusion on special event days.
Record Standard Scripts
Did your school administration write new safety scripts recently? Prepare for the new school year by pre-recording standard announcements.
How to Record and Implement Standard Announcements in Carina in 4 steps
- Record your scripts and upload them to the Carina Cloud or Carina Event Manager.
- Test the announcement in Quick Start.
- Set an extension to trigger the announcement.
- Document the extension for each pre-recorded announcement.
This setup allows for quick and efficient dissemination of important information without the need for live announcements every time.
Bonus Tips
Backup System Configuration
Create a backup of your PA system’s configuration settings. This ensures you can quickly restore the system if needed. Watch our short video on how to backup your configuration on the Carina Event Manager.
Regular Maintenance
New software updates released over the break? Check for new firmware for your PA system. Wahsega offers a self-service portal for downloading the latest firmware.
Document Your System
Maintain a list of all classrooms, speakers, and corresponding extensions. Your technology partner or integrator likely provided this during installation. If not, start one with our speaker extension list template here.
Staff Training
Offer training sessions for new teachers and staff on using the PA system, including making announcements, using call buttons, and understanding bell schedules.
New to the role or the school?
Who you gonna call? Ask around for the contact information for your technology partner and VoIP phone provider. They likely set up your PA system and can answer operational questions.
What is Carina Cloud?
The Carina Cloud portal allows administrators to remotely access and configure schedules, events, and calendars while off-campus. Learn more about the Carina Cloud portal here.
Cheers to the New School Year
By following this back-to-school checklist, K-12 system admins can ensure their PA systems are ready for seamless communication throughout the school year. Wahsega is dedicated to providing reliable and affordable solutions to make your job easier. Here’s to a successful and well-prepared start to the new academic year!
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