Hillview Crest touts classroom audio enhancement and real‑time translation to boost access and safety

Stella Castillo, principal of Hillview Crest Elementary, told the New Haven Unified school board the site is piloting an audio enhancement system intended to improve instruction access and campus safety. "This year, we continue to be a technology hub by piloting audio enhancement which improves access to instruction and increased safety for everyone," Castillo said.

Kindergarten teacher Kathy Camp described classroom changes after installation: "Now students hear the directions the first time, transitions go more smoothly, and the classrooms feel calmer overall," she said, adding that clearer audio increased student participation and reduced the need for teachers to raise their voices.

Assistant Principal Karen Florendo explained Clear Connect, a translation feature that provides real‑time language access for multilingual learners and families during workshops. "This tool allows students to immediately access grade‑level content while they are continuing to develop their skills in the English language," Florendo said; she added that the system translates presenter audio and videos shown during family events.

Castillo also described safety features: teachers wear pendants that, when pressed, alert the front office and display the emergency location on a control panel; a passcode‑protected wall panel in classrooms can silently notify staff and administrators and allows office staff to listen in and coordinate a response. Castillo said the system also forwards alerts to her cell phone if she is off campus.

Board members and attendees praised the pilot for improving access and safety. The presentation was informational; no board action or funding decision was announced during this meeting.