Company Overview
When Morgan Forness, Superintendent for Central Cass Schools in Casselton, North Dakota, came to the district in 2015, he saw an immediate need for a master technology plan across all three schools. The district’s aging infrastructure was causing frustration and holding it back from implementing critical new technology. Forness contacted Marco, who completed a thorough technology assessment.
“Marco gave us an incredible assessment documenting what we had, what we didn’t and our inefficiencies. I learned a significant amount of information, which was presented in layman’s terms. The assessment gave us a foundation for strategizing what needed to be done,” he said.
The master plan included updating the district’s outdated infrastructure with new network switches and wireless access points before implementing Managed Print, a new phone system, and new audio visual solutions.
Marco Provides Audio Visual Solutions
The district purchased Audio Enhancement’s intercom solution with classroom audio. The solution equips teachers with microphones that are connected to speakers in the ceiling, delivering high-quality sound throughout the classroom. The solution also includes paging and intercom features that connect to the school’s fire and emergency system. In addition, the district installed interactive panels in the elementary and middle schools, which replaced smart boards and projectors.
Forness said the new audio visual solutions have taken the district’s learning capabilities to a whole new level.
“The information that’s being taught is much more impactful. The teachers aren’t straining their voices to get attention or manage the classroom and the kids are hearing better and not getting lost in the room activity. The interactive panels give us the ability to access more information and demonstrate learning, whether the kids are demonstrating or the teachers are. It’s really transformed how we do education,” he said.
Working with Marco made Forness realize the importance of having a technology partner who can provide an end-to-end solution.
“Unless the infrastructure is in place, some of these other fun tools are pie in the sky. Marco gave us a complete solution. We invested money up front, but we’re saving so much on the back end because of efficiencies in the way we operate. People tend to think of education and business as two different things, but they share a lot of similar components. Marco is a great resource for schools because of their breadth of solutions,” he added.
