Hennessey Public Schools

Located about an hour northwest of Oklahoma City, Hennessey, OK, is home to about 2,500 residents. Approximately 800 students attend Hennessey Public Schools (HPS), which is comprised of an elementary, middle, and a high school situated in several buildings on one campus.

“It’s a small community, so we don’t want to get too automated or too high-tech. People don’t like to dial in and not talk to a live person, so the administrative staff wanted to stay away from that.”
- Austin Williams, Technology Coordinator, Hennessey Public Schools.

In 2000, the small district decided it was time to upgrade its phone system, a PBX key system that had been in place for more than 20 years. The district knew a more feature-rich phone system would significantly streamline staff activity and improve communication. However, it had three main concerns: the system's cost, its ease of management for the district’s one-person technology staff, and that it not be too impersonal for the Hennessey community.

“Now, even during class, we can send a call to someone’s voicemail, so we aren’t physically taking a message and trying to get it to them. That saves us a lot of time.”
- Diane Riddle, Administrative Assistant, Hennessey Public Schools.

ShoreTel offered the district the ability to save money by leveraging its existing data network and implementing inexpensive analog phones. With support from ShoreTel representatives — who were available for consultation via the system’s converged conferencing capabilities — the district deployed ShoreTel 60 and 120 Voice Switches. In a matter of minutes, the IT team had integrated the ShoreTel system with Hennessey’s existing data network. HPS then extended the phone system to all administrative staff, as well as to a number of teachers and coaches responsible for managing extracurricular activities. Each user has either an actual phone, or voicemail that can be checked from any device. Benefits include:

• The district keeps expenses down by utilizing e-rate funding, tapping into its existing data network, and using analog phones.
• With a distributed IP phone system, the district also saved thousands over what it would have cost to install lines for a traditional system.
• ShoreTel Director’s Web-based interface enables the district’s technology coordinator to handle all maintenance and expansion easily.
• Administrative staff members save countless hours not having to handwrite and deliver messages to teachers and staff, allowing them to focus on more important tasks.
• The system’s flexibility and powerful features such as hunt groups, voicemail, directory look-up, and auto attendant allow HPS to be more efficient without compromising its personal touch.

“Compared to other systems, the management of the ShoreTel system is so much easier. It’s pretty maintenance free. I can manage it regardless of where I am on campus. Because the system is Web-based, if someone has a problem, I can reset a switch from any computer. I don’t have to physically walk across the street to do that.”
- Austin Williams, Technology Coordinator, Hennessey Public Schools.