Planning deployment
With $25,000 worth of technology available, Wereley sat down with his multimedia team to come up with a new plan for Chase Secondary.
Installed next to the main office, a 1-m (42-in.) LCD serves as digital signage, showcasing students’ work and announcing upcoming events.
“After winning the contest, we knew we wanted a good-quality product that would last us a long time,” he says, “so we met with our sales rep, who suggested new liquid crystal display (LCD) desktop monitors and wide-screen short-throw projectors for our classrooms.”
In July 2011, the school ordered 12 of the projectors and 56 of the 483-mm (19-in.) desktop LCDs, along with a 1-m (42-in.) LCD and various accessories. Wereley’s team worked with the school district’s technology department to set up the devices. The deployment was completed in January 2012.
Of the 12 short-throw, wide-format projectors, 10 were installed in classrooms—most with ceiling mounts—where they could use existing whiteboards as their projection surfaces. Another was installed in the school’s computer lab, which is regularly booked by teachers for computer-related courses. And the last one was installed on a portable cart with a sound system, so it can be taken to other classrooms that were not able to get projectors installed.
“The projectors offer an excellent brightness level, at 3,000 lumens,” says Wereley. “They give our faculty the ability to view a lot of information on one screen, due to their wide-format resolution.”
The desktop LCDs were installed not only in the classrooms, but also in the computer lab, replacing old CRT monitors that were bulky and took up too much space. The new screens allow students to better access content through the Internet, while freeing up some space on desks for their work.
The 1-m (42-in.) LCD, meanwhile, was installed at the school’s front entrance, next to the main office. This display is used as digital signage to announce upcoming events and to showcase students’ work for the whole school.
With the contest’s prize money, Chase Secondary was also able to purchase two extra-large projector screens. These were installed in the gym and the band room to allow special presentations to address the entire school population. During graduation ceremonies, for example, student-produced slideshows can be shown to a large audience.
