How one private school achieved a comprehensive security solution including Telecor’s eSeries Intercom & Public Address, Access Control & Lockdown capabilities through a phased integration and installation approach.

Founded in 1927, St Peter School in Merchantville, New Jersey is a private, Catholic school serving 300 students from Pre-K through 8th Grade. The current facility was built in 1951 and consists of two stories plus a fully-utilized basement. In addition to classrooms, the school has a large cafeteria, as well as several additional rooms including library, media room, faculty room, nurse’s office, and fine arts room.

Challenges

As with many older facilities, the school needed to develop a comprehensive security and communication plan across its three levels and multiple entrance points. Given the budgeting challenges, the solution needed to be in a phased approach across multiple fiscal years. St. Peter School also anticipated that the project would ultimately need to include a lockdown solution that would adhere to Alyssa’s Law.

Telecor’s ability to upgrade the PA/Intercom Solution to the latest Ethernet-based technology while still leveraging some of the existing analog infrastructure helped St. Peter School meet their budget requirements. The open architecture of the eSeries solution also ensured seamless integration with the access control and lockdown systems.
– Ryan Monahan, Systems Integrator, CM3 Building Solutions

Solution

After an extensive site and vendor capability assessment, CM3 Building Solutions in Ft. Washington, PA proposed an integrated access control and public address/intercom system with lockdown capabilities. Products included:

• Mass Communication
• Access Control
• Life Safety

The selected technologies leveraged open-architecture design ensuring future expansion and adaptation. And, the solution was designed in a phased, multi-year installation program to accommodate budgeting objectives while immediately enhancing safety and security.

Results

The first phase of the project started in 2020 and included installation of an access control system for the exterior doors. This provided immediate secure access to the building and enabled lockdown capabilities via a lockdown button in the main office.

The 2021 and 2022 phases of the project included a new Telecor eSeries Public Address/Intercom Ethernet-based headend to upgrade the overall mass communication solution at St. Peter School. Using Telecor’s Hybrid approach, CM3 was able to cost-effectively leverage existing infrastructure including wiring, speakers, and amps, while still providing this new digital platform with bell schedules, visual maps, and numerous other point and click features. Digital All-in-One Displays were included in select classrooms with a message display, speaker, strobe, and calendar/clock to re-enforce mass notification messages and ensure ADA compliance.

In 2023, additional enhancements include life safety systems which simultaneously lock doors, initiates emergency strobes, and broadcasts an emergency message to the police department and administration fulfilling the requirements of Alyssa’s Law. The system is integrated with the Telecor eSeries Mass Notification Solution and additional All-in-One Displays with built-in strobe lights are included.

CM3’s ability to design a long-term security plan has enabled St. Peter School to strategically enhance the security profile of the building in phased, budgeted installations.
– Kathryn O’Callaghan, Principal

Looking ahead, the final phase will be completed in 2024 ensuring the Telecor eSeries solution will be fully Ethernet-based end-to-end.

CM3 Building Solutions, Inc. deploys building technologies that maximize comfort, safety, and efficiency. Founded in 2002, the company serves commercial, healthcare, educational, non-profit, and municipal facilities in the Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware communities.

CM3 designs, installs, integrates, and maintains a comprehensive portfolio of building technologies, including Air, Energy, Security, and Communications. Air solutions include HVAC, building automation, and indoor air cleaning. Energy solutions include performance contracting, facility modernization, and energy consulting. Security and life safety solutions include public address systems, access control, video surveillance, vape detection, and fire alarm systems. Communications solutions include phones and managed IT services.

For over 45 years Telecor has established itself internationally as a provider and leader of quality intercom, paging, clock, mass notification and security communication products and systems. With thousands of systems installed across the United States and worldwide, Telecor offers complete process manufacturing – from the concept and design stages, through to a worldwide network of certified trained distributors in the Education, Healthcare, Security and Commercial markets.