Mercer County OKs Audio Enhancement intercom, classroom-audio and translation system
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Summary
The Mercer County Board of Education approved purchase and installation of Audio EnhancementEPIC classroom-audio, intercom and translation system after a presentation on instructional and safety features; the board authorized the vendor contract and initial payment pending permits.
The Mercer County Board of Education voted to approve purchase and installation of an Audio Enhancement EPIC classroom audio, intercom, translation and safety system after a vendor presentation and discussion of deployment and permitting. The board approved the motion in a roll-call vote on the proposal brought forward at the meeting.
The district heard a detailed presentation from Watson Ritchie, regional sales director for Audio Enhancement, who described classroom audio that amplifies teacher speech through ceiling speakers, student microphones intended to increase engagement, an IP-based intercom and an emergency "safe alert" function tied to a front-office kiosk. Ritchie said the system also offers a cloud-based translation feature that lets students log in on a laptop or tablet and hear instruction in their native language while viewing an English transcript.
Board members and staff discussed the system's academic and safety benefits, training and maintenance. Ritchie said the product is sold as a capital purchase (one-time payment) with an annual licensing fee only for the translation service; he said field hardware life is typically measured in years and that Audio Enhancement provides a one-year warranty and local technical support. The presentation included pilot results and examples of classroom and safety integrations: synchronized bells and screens, camera feeds that can be pulled up from the EPIC kiosk, and a mobile app for administrators.
Board discussion also covered procurement and permitting. Staff said the district has obtained quotes and is coordinating with the State Building Inspector to determine permit needs for low-voltage installation; the inspector indicated a permit, if required, would likely be low cost and that the district could expect an answer within weeks. Staff noted some bidders had proposed a credit for the removal of legacy PA equipment and that the district may be billed an oversight percentage by an electrical contractor if that contractor performs permit-inspection work (the discussion referenced a 17% figure floated as an estimate by a contractor but not adopted as a district policy).
The board approved the motion to accept the proposal and authorize the recommended initial payment and contract execution. The motion, as recorded by the clerk, passed by roll call.
Board members and the vendor said next steps include finalizing permitting, scheduling installation and delivering teacher training and district-level professional development before the system goes live in classrooms.
Votes at a glance: Audio Enhancement proposal — approved (roll call: yes:5 no:0; mover/second: not specified in transcript).