SJSD one step closer to intercom project implementation

As part of the St. Joseph School District's bond project, new intercoms will be laced throughout all 24 of the District's school buildings.

The project was approved in October of 2024, but within the last month and into the New Year, the District has approved and started the wiring process for the new system.

When it comes to the intercom system, District officials said they are in desperate need of upgrades.

"Right now we're using the old...It's just speakers and wires that you know, you hit a button on a mic in the office and then that calls the room," said SJSD IT Director, Jake Kelly.

The new system will offer better coverage and accessibility for both students and staff. 

"They'll (staff) have a panel in the office that they can call the rooms. They can hit programmed messages for certain things. It'll run all of the bell schedules. It'll do...Unfortunately, sometimes when we have to go in lock down for incidents," said Kelly.

The new system will also notify students and staff in the building by LED messaging, flashing lights and audio.

With system costs and installation within the 24 schools within the district, SJSD has invested a little under $1.8 million in the project. 

The cost becomes less important, when the safety of students comes into play. 

"I think it will provide actual good safety measures," said Kelly. "If there it something that needs communicated, it'll make it easier for teachers in the rooms to communicate back to the office, you know, if they've got an issue."

Kelly said the system would also help the District with it's long-range goal of connecting all intercoms, cameras and doors to building leaders. 

"During any type of emergency, then there's one screen, one place that our building leader's have to do, that they can just hit buttons and do what they need to do as quickly as they need to do it to keep all of the kids safe," said Kelly. 

Kelly said the system will begin installation by the end of June and will be completed by the beginning of the 2025-2026 school year.