Bronaugh school board talks phone upgrades

Wednesday, February 19, 2014

Nevada Daily Mail

Getting a phone call into Bronaugh schools will no longer come with screeching and static.

Superintendent Lyle Best approached the Bronaugh Board of Education at its monthly meeting on Monday with cost estimates for a new telephone system. The current phones used throughout the school building are more than 15-years-old, and were originally donated, leaving administrators unsure of how old the equipment actually is.

Best said the phones were unreliable at times and made contacting teachers and administrators from outside and within the building difficult. The building doesn't have an automated system; meaning office staff must direct each call.

"The process of taking a phone call has become cumbersome, and it shouldn't be," Best said.

Best said that the phones have served their purpose, but are no longer meeting the needs of Bronaugh staff.

The two phone bids brought to the meeting ranged between $17,000 and $20,000. Costs from each bid included around 35 new phones, materials to run new phone lines and installation fees.

The new system would allow parents and other individuals calling the school district to have a better experience; the current system frequently has problems with screeching and volume.

Best said that with a new phone system, teachers would have better access to parents or the office in case of an emergency. With the current system, not every classroom is equipped with a phone, and some teachers frequently use a communal phone for calls to and from parents.

Principal James Frank said contacting administrators and teachers within the building can take a while, and the new phone system would make communication more efficient. And, a fully-functioning phone system would relieve use of the intercom system.

Board members asked Best if any funds had been set aside in the budget specifically for the phone system. Best said that none had been, but that issues with the phones have been ongoing and would need repair regardless.

The board voted to talk to one of the phone vendors to work out additional details, including the specific number of phones needed, and customer service in case issues with the new system arise.

In addition to phone upgrades, the board and administrators are looking to replace several windows and a door in the school's agriculture building. Seven windows in the building are drafty and leaking, causing issues within the classroom. An overhead door is up for possible replacement due to age and natural wear issues.

Board members discussed seeking several bids for the repairs, as well as other cost saving options such as new weather stripping.

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