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A school district has a lot in common with any large, multi-location business. Staff and those they serve – students or customers – should be able to have the same experience, no matter their location. It should be a given that information is seamlessly saved, shared and accessed – and that all begins with reliable business internet.

Connected – City or Country

When my team first partnered with western South Dakota’s vast Meade School District, it was in need of a solution that could ensure students the same learning opportunities, whether they’re in the city of Sturgis or a smaller, rural community, like Piedmont. The district also wanted a way to communicate between schools without tying up external phone lines. After all, no parent expects a busy signal when calling their child’s school.

Our main school district contact has been Curriculum and Technology Director Jeff Ward, a steadfast advocate for leveling the technology playing field for all kids. Yes, it’s critical that school staff can communicate with one another, and that parents can always reach someone. However, Ward takes the responsibility of making sure all children can benefit from online resources very seriously.

“There’s a lot of online testing that we do now,” Ward explained in a recent customer testimonial. “You can get to the Smithsonian and look at primary artifacts – things that we just couldn’t do before technology. We still believe in direct instruction, but it sure opens a lot more opportunities with the devices.”

Conquering Connectivity Challenges

To implement the connections necessary to keep the district going, Midco teams first discussed current and forecasted bandwidth needs with Ward, and then conducted a site survey to decide how best to reach those goals. As with any large, multi-location customer, it was up to us to create a custom solution. There’s no such thing as a cookie-cutter phone and internet option when you’re keeping a dozen or more buildings connected to the world and each other.

Calculated Changes

Our relationship with the Meade School District quickly became a genuine partnership. Ward’s team knew they could trust us to deliver reliable connectivity – freeing up their time to focus on how that access could benefit their students. 

The Midco network solutions now give students the bandwidth to connect the district’s myriad tablets, laptops and smart boards. Also, Midco’s session initiated protocol (SIP) phone service has resulted in convenience for school staff – they can digitally call extensions district-wide by dialing a few numbers.

“As we put more devices in our district, and demands for connectivity increase, Midco’s been a good partner for that – to situate us so that we can move forward and be successful in the implementation of those devices. And hopefully, put us out in front as a leader in our area as a school district.”

Learn more about the Meade School District’s experience with Midco, and if you’d like to discuss better connectivity options for your multi-location business, we’re here to help.