K-12 Emergency Communication Solutions
CareHawk safeguards the well-being of students, teachers, and staff
K-12 emergency communication solutions connect intercoms, paging, visual displays, alert stations, and district-wide controls within one communication environment. Schools can use the same infrastructure for routine announcements, bell schedules and urgent instructions.
CareHawk develops and manufactures life-safety communication systems for schools across the United States and Canada. Its product range supports individual campuses and multi-school districts using legacy, hybrid or IP-based infrastructure.
Available functions include two-way classroom communication, live and prerecorded paging, lockdown activation, visual alerts, synchronized timekeeping, system monitoring and compatible third-party integrations. The correct configuration depends on the school’s buildings, network, existing equipment and emergency procedures.
K-12 Emergency Communication Systems Built Around Intercom and Paging
K-12 emergency communication systems can combine classroom intercoms, overhead paging, visual displays and alert controls for routine and urgent communication. Using connected channels helps schools communicate in classrooms, corridors, gyms, cafeterias and outdoor areas.
The 2023 Campus Safety Emergency Notification Deep Dive reported that 88% of participating K-12 organizations used intercoms or overhead paging. CareHawk’s systems build on this infrastructure with browser-based controls, mobile activation, visual messaging and district-wide management.
8 Goals to Improve Your K-12 School Crisis Management and Mass Communication Strategy
Goal #1: “The biggest goal is getting an emergency message out quickly when you are handling a crisis.”
Taking action quickly is one of the biggest challenges K-12 schools face in their emergency response and it’s also the most important.
If you’re looking for quicker emergency response, odds are you’re not alone, with 45% of K-12 schools saying their campuses currently use panic alarms and 35% planning purchases or upgrades of panic buttons. (Source: Campus Safety 2023 Emergency Notification Deep Dive)
Better outcomes are linked to a quick response and CareHawk Mass Notification Systems address this challenge in several ways.
Spotlight Software:
As your browser-based control center, quickly and easily initiate critical alerts, prerecorded or live audio pages to zones, and much more.
Communicate within a single school, multiple schools in proximity, or the entire district.
Spotlight makes quick work of getting the right message to the right people without delay.
AdminConsole Administrative Phone:
On the 7-inch HD touch-screen display, initiating critical alerts, like Lockdown, is simple and fast.
The AdminConsole eliminates the need to recall phone codes or check a cheat sheet during stressful situations.
AdminConsole plays an important role in your emergency response and everyday communications.
VCall+ Mobile Alert App:
For administrators, SROs, and other security staff on the move, look to the VCall+ mobile app.
From the palm of your hand, activate a lockdown and other critical alerts from anywhere on the school’s wireless network.
Alert Stations:
At the touch of a button, activate a Lockdown, Weather alert, or evacuation.
Tailor alerts to your needs and protocols with the option to customize alert buttons.
Goal #2: Announcements must reach all spaces in the school effectively
Emergency communication systems for schools should account for classrooms, hallways, gyms, cafeterias, workshops, and outdoor areas. Audio alone may not be sufficient in noisy spaces or where occupants require visual notification.
CareHawk combines compatible speakers with full-color messaging displays and configurable RGB strobes. The appropriate mix of audio and visual devices depends on the room, ambient noise, viewing distance and applicable accessibility requirements.
Do you relate to the following sentiments from other school administrators?
- “Announcements cannot be heard in building hallways.”
- “One of our biggest challenges is in the gym area.”
- “We are looking to add a visual alert light in the band room as PA announcements are difficult to hear when students are playing instruments.”
Intelligible Audio for All Spaces
CareHawk utilizes the G.722 wideband audio codec for fuller-sounding audio. In English, this translates to more intelligible audio for those noisy and chaotic spaces. Even with industry-leading audio, it may not be enough to ensure announcements are heard, so they should also be seen!
CareHawk addresses this challenge by including audio and visual displays with strobe lights for classrooms, hallways, and larger spaces like cafeterias and gymnasiums.
All CareHawk Messaging Displays are equipped with 4 highly visible LED strobes
Customize the colours and flashing modes for complete control and compliance with your district protocols. Now that you know alerts and messages are quick to activate and can be heard and seen by everyone, let’s move on to some additional challenges.
10” Messaging Displays:
Ideal for the classroom, these displays utilize 10” high-definition screens and are available with a built-in speaker option.
10” Dual-Screen Messaging Displays:
Ideal for hallways, these displays can be seen from both directions and come with a built-in speaker option.
22” Messaging Displays:
Ideal for larger spaces like the gym or cafeteria, these large displays can be seen from a distance and offer the option to connect with amplified external speakers.
Goal #3: Invest in a system that connects schools within a large district
Not all actionable incidents are isolated to individual schools. Often, incidents occur in the nearby community, prompting various schools to take action at the same time. Coordination of these efforts often takes longer than acceptable. Most mass notification systems are not capable of coordinating communication between more than one school, leaving schools and district offices isolated and detached from a cohesive emergency response.
Efficient School Communication: CareHawk Systems for Streamlined Information Exchange
Recognizing the necessity to streamline and connect communication within school districts, CareHawk systems facilitate timely information and resource exchange across schools and district offices.
Our advanced IP school intercom and public address (PA) systems provide a reliable platform for district-wide alerts and announcements, ensuring crucial messages are prompt and communicated through audio, visual messaging, and email alerts.
CareHawk provides several solutions to handle multi-school and even district-wide communications without common limitations.
Spotlight Multisystem:
Connect groups of schools with Spotlight Multisystem. Configure schools in proximity to participate in lockdowns at other schools in the area, automatically and immediately. Intercom, page, and call admin phones between schools seamlessly for unprecedented communication flow.
Spotlight District-Wide:
Control district communications from a Google map-based interface. With Spotlight District-Wide capabilities, administrators can view and communicate with any school in the district from a central location. Select one, a few, or all schools and initiate lockdowns, emergency pages, and proximity-based alerts. View critical communications live at remote schools from the Spotlight interface.
Goal #4: Knowing your system is fully functional when you need it
If you relate, it’s no surprise. Nearly 25% of K-12 respondents say they have challenges with message delivery verification. (source: Campus Safety: 2023 Emergency Notification Deep Dive).
“In dire situations, we need to put out messages to protect life and property. Some administrators want to see and approve every message before it goes out, thus slowing down the time we can push out a message.” (source: Campus Safety 2023 Emergency Notification Deep Dive ).
Monitor all communication
With Spotlight, administrators can monitor all communications on a visual floor plan of the school in real time.
Color-coded indicators
Color-coded indicators differentiate between intercoms, pages, and music distribution. Furthermore, priority communications take precedence and are designated by the color red.
Ensuring your school’s emergency communication system is up and running is critical.
That’s why we monitor the communication endpoints in classrooms, Messaging Displays, and AdminConsole administrative phones to provide you with peace of mind that the system is ready when you need it.
But what happens if something does happen? If one of your endpoints goes down, our proprietary supervision technology will automatically try to fix the issue. If those efforts are unsuccessful, a variety of visual indicators are activated, and an email message is sent to your support staff to let them know immediately.
Goal #5: Ensuring different systems like fire alarms, access control, and vape detection work well together
A notable number of K-12 schools (18%) indicate integration of disparate systems is an issue they face in their schools. (source: Campus Safety 2023 Emergency Notification Deep Dive)
Many schools struggle with flexibility and integration of the various systems they have, especially emerging technologies. We understand this challenge and have ways to help schools bring it all together.
CareHawk’s Commitment to Unified Communication
There is no doubt the landscape of communication technologies for schools is complex. CareHawk is committed to bridging disparate technologies together for the greater good of the school community and to fostering safer educational spaces.
GPIO Integration Hub:
The CareHawk Integration Hub allows schools to connect third-party systems with our platform, extending the usefulness of these systems through collaboration. For example, connect your fire alarm system and mute music and other non-essential communications in the school automatically, allowing the priority message to be heard.
Third-party Integrations:
We understand the need to collaborate with other technologies, like industry-leading Lightspeed classroom instructional audio or to comply with Alyssa’s Law through integration with Centegix. We strive to work with as many existing and upcoming technologies as possible.
Goal #6: Prepare Messages and Control User Access
K-12 safety communication systems can reduce the number of decisions staff must make during an emergency. Schools can prepare and review emergency messages before an incident, reducing the number of decisions staff must make during activation. Spotlight allows authorized users to record and configure messages for supported emergency procedures.
User groups and role-based permissions can restrict configuration and activation functions to approved personnel. Schools should align these permissions with their emergency plan and review them when responsibilities change.
Sending the right message quickly
Sending the right message quickly in an emergency is critical. Managing and ensuring only authorized personnel have access to these life safety systems compounds this challenge.
Prepare and record critical messages ahead of time
CareHawk recommends preparing and recording critical messages ahead of time. Prerecorded messages are the best way to send messages immediately, knowing they have already been approved by administrators well in advance. Conveniently, administrators can record, review and set these messages directly in Spotlight.
Robust user and role management
Robust user and role management ensures that only authorized personnel have access to initiate these messages.
Goal #7: Keep School Communication Systems Updated and Supported
It’s not uncommon to hear that K-12 schools feel “left in the dark” by vendors when it comes to system maintenance, updates, and customer support.
Over 200+ certified partners
CareHawk is proud to have a network of over 200+ certified partners across Canada and the USA ready to help every step of the way.
Free manufacturer-direct customer support
We provide schools with FREE manufacturer-direct customer support because we value peace of mind, too.
Goal #8: Stay up-to-date with current best practices in school security and emergency response
PASS Partner
As a proud partner of PASS (Partner Alliance for Safer Schools), CareHawk assists K-12 schools in implementing nationally recognized guidelines for more effective security and emergency communication plans. PASS guidelines, presented in an easy-to-follow checklist, provide a layered and tiered approach to school safety.
CareHawk’s safety and communication technologies, including classroom intercoms, paging systems, and lockdown solutions, contribute to PASS guidelines compliance, fostering safer and more secure schools.
CareHawk is the Trusted Partner for Your K-12 Communication Needs
Our systems, known for dependability, scalability, and customization, can be adjusted to meet the unique needs of every educational setting.
CareHawk possesses the expertise and equipment to provide future-ready solutions, whether you require an intercom system, a paging system, or a complete lockdown emergency communication solution for your schools.
Central to school day management is Spotlight, the best-in-class software for bell scheduling, facilitating announcements, class changes, nutrition breaks, and other daily events.
CareHawk’s dependable, programmable, and synchronized school bell system and clocks ensure a seamless school day, providing accurate time synchronization and a range of tones tailored to meet specific requirements.
Specialization in K-12 Education
Thousands of schools have invested in CareHawk because we are dedicated to K-12 educational establishments through tailored solutions addressing the unique challenges schools face.
Durability and Reliability
Our systems, built with modern technology, undergo rigorous testing, ensuring consistent, long-term performance.
User-Friendly Interfaces
CareHawk’s interfaces are designed for intuitive interaction, reducing the need for extensive training and increasing efficiency.
Customization and Scalability
Acknowledging the uniqueness of each school, our solutions are scalable and adaptable, allowing institutions to enhance their communication infrastructure over time.
Comprehensive Support
Beyond being a product supplier, CareHawk provides free industry-leading support, ensuring schools receive assistance when needed. Our dedicated support staff can answer questions, troubleshoot problems, and offer advice.
Frequently Asked Questions About K-12 Communication Systems
Why Do K-12 Schools Need Public Address and Emergency Communication Systems?
Public address, intercom, and visual messaging systems help schools distribute routine announcements and urgent instructions across defined areas. The required combination depends on the campus layout, occupancy, ambient noise, accessibility needs, and emergency procedures.
What Is CareHawk Spotlight Software?
Spotlight is a browser-based interface for managing compatible CareHawk communication systems. Depending on the configuration, authorized users can activate alerts, send live or prerecorded announcements, view floor plans, and manage communication across one or multiple schools.
How Do AdminConsole, VCall+, and Alert Stations Work?
AdminConsole provides touchscreen access to supported communication functions, while VCall+ allows authorized users to initiate configured alerts through a mobile device on the school network. Fixed alert stations provide another activation point for events such as lockdown, weather, and evacuation notifications.
Can CareHawk Communicate Across an Entire School District?
CareHawk’s K-12 emergency communication solutions can connect multiple schools through compatible Spotlight Multisystem and District-Wide functions. Depending on the installed systems, configuration, and access permissions, authorized administrators can communicate with one school, selected groups of schools, or the entire district.
5. Can the system communicate across an entire district?
Yes. CareHawk’s platforms link multiple schools, allowing a central office to send district-wide announcements, coordinate lockdowns and alerts, manage all school schedules, and ensure consistent messaging across all schools in the district.