Schools get new phone system after old phones begin to fail

When the phone systems in three Mountain Home schools failed, the district decided it could no longer patch and repair the old and outdated system and decided to finally purchase and install a new, integrated phone system for the entire district.

Superintendent Tim McMurtrey explained that the 16-year-old system was outdated, not cost effective and becoming increasingly difficult and expensive to repair.

"The phones and parts to repair the system were so old they were no longer available," he said.

"When the phones went out at Base Primary, then East, followed by Hacker, and teachers were forced to use their personal cell phones (and their air-time minutes) to communicate with the outside world, we knew were at a point where the entire system was failing and we were going to have to immediately replace phones in individual schools, which would not have met our needs or been cost effective, or replace the entire system."

In anticipation of the need to eventually replace the outdated technology, the district had begun investigating new systems five years ago.

In the interim, the cost of the system dropped significantly from $900,000 to $309,000 while the technology continued to improve.

Superintendent McMurtrey said that since the phone system had clearly risen to the top of the district's 10-year needs list, the purchase was made using federal forest funds, which are to be used for large, one-time repair type expenses. McMurtrey noted the funds are not allowed to be used for salaries or personnel expenses.

Since the school district will be able to manage repairs in-house, they will realize a savings of $40,000 per year in annual maintenance costs, plus savings in line fees.

He said, "The new system will give the district enhanced features that we never dreamed of with our old system. It will be easier to use -- once we have passed the inevitable learning curve -- give us the potential for district-wide communication and improved safety capabilities."