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Board told to approve $4.14 million Epic audio/PA upgrade for classrooms, emergency alerts and bell scheduling
Summary
The operations committee recommended replacing aging classroom and public-address systems districtwide with an Epic platform; recommended vendor VSC of Novi bid $4,141,312 (including $200,000 contingency) from 2021 bond funds; staff described safety features, centralized control and a multi‑phase installation timeline.
Mr. Tim Clanner, the district’s administrator for information and instructional technology, and operations staff presented a recommendation to replace aging Carehawk and TeachLogic systems with an Epic-based audio platform from VSC of Novi.
The recommendation calls for a districtwide solution that integrates classroom amplification, public-address, emergency alerts and bell scheduling. Mr. Clanner said the recommended contract amount in the packet is $4,141,312, which includes a $200,000 contingency and would be funded from the 2021 bond proceeds.
Why it matters: district staff said improved classroom audio can increase speech intelligibility for instruction, allow targeted group announcements, and add safety features that let offices listen into classrooms during emergency calls without alerting occupants.
Key points from the presentation and board discussion
- Vendor selection: the recommended vendor, VSC of Novi, was not the lowest bidder but met the design requirements and has previous bond-project experience, the district said. - Functionality and safety: presenters demonstrated features observed at the Early Childhood Center including a touchscreen master console showing a building map that lets office staff call or listen to specific rooms, and teacher-worn lanyard microphones with a silent emergency button that can triangulate a teacher’s location if pressed. - Installation and warranty: staff said the system is digital, uses Power‑over‑Ethernet connections and requires phased, one‑building‑at‑a‑time installation to keep existing systems running during cutovers. Typical manufacturer support cited was five years; district planning assumes a 10‑year useful life for capital planning. - Timeline: staff said they hoped to start before Christmas if equipment delivery permits and expected a one‑year installation for the full district with major building work completed in summer windows to minimize classroom disruption.
Board comments
Board members asked about audio recording capability during an emergency and whether the system records when offices listen in; technology staff said recording is not standard but they would check and respond with a follow-up. Members also asked about spares, maintenance, and the ability for principals and secretaries to change bell schedules without back‑end programming.
Next steps
Operations will place the item on the consent/regular meeting agenda next week for a formal vote. Staff said bid documents and selection rationale are included in the board packet and that they will follow up with answers requested by board members about recording and specific warranty details.
