Challenges

Mount Adams School District #209 is headquartered in White Swan, Washington and serves the communities of White Swan and Harrah. Located on the Yakama Indian Reservation, the homeland of the federally recognized Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation, the district includes Harrah Elementary School, Mount Adams Middle School, and White Swan High School.

Mount Adams School District’s mission is: “[to] promote authentic learning, embrace cultures, build trust, and value safety so each student is prepared for life.” Its vision is: “Each student graduates from Mount Adams School District prepared for a successful future.”

In the 2023/2024 School Year, Telecor Channel Partner Dimensional Communications worked with Mount Adams School District to replace White Swan High School’s aging intercom, public address, and bell system which was over 25 years old and failing. Telecor eSeries was installed as a fully supervised endpoint system with no central headend server, eliminating any single point of failure and ensuring clear, reliable communication throughout all indoor and outdoor areas of the campus. Classroom speakers with textual displays ensured ADA compliance and strobes provided additional visual notification in noisy areas.

Solution

To comply with Alyssa’s Law in Washington State, the district sought to integrate Telecor’s ePanic Mobile Duress Solution with its newly installed public address and intercom system.

With support from Telecor’s grant management team, the district submitted a proposal to the Department of Justice’s COPS School Violence Prevention Program and received funding in the fall of 2024.

Results

Adding the ePanic mobile duress buttons for White Swan High School staff was straightforward and required no additional infrastructure or reliance on mobile devices that can lose power or connectivity. The lanyard-worn button instantly sends an alert and location data to the graphical user interface.

Working with the team at Dimensional Communications to add Telecor’s ePanic Mobile Duress buttons to our existing eSeries Intercom and Public Address system was a good experience. The solution is simple to use and not contingent on locating a mobile phone or opening an app. The quick delivery of the alert and tight location information displayed on the Visual Console interface allows us to quickly engage lockdown protocol if needed.
– Jon Scott, Technology Director, Mt. Adams School District #209

The console’s easy-to-use interface highlights the alert on a school map and supports one-click lockdown activation and pre-programmed emergency messaging. Security teams and first responders can stay informed and discreetly listen in or initiate two-way communication from the Visual Console.

Because the ePanic system uses the existing Telecor intercom infrastructure, it eliminates the need for additional third-party systems and cabling. When paired with Visual Console and the district’s existing Telecor intercom, ePanic provides Mount Adams School District with an Alyssa’s Law compliant solution and a level of safety that the students and staff deserve.
– Colby Plagge, Project Manager, Dimensional Communications

Dimensional Communications (DCI) provides the installation and management of integrated teaching technologies, facility/district-wide communications, intercommunications, time keeping, sound reinforcement, and media information delivery systems.

DCI serves all major universities and over (80) school districts in Washington State. Founded in 1973, DCI has successfully been providing AV systems for public entities and private clients for over 50 years, including some very high-profile and prestigious customers and projects.

For over 45 years, Telecor has established itself internationally as a 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 concept and design through to a global network of certified, trained integrators in the Education, Healthcare, and Commercial-Industrial markets.