De Soto High School installs new announcement system

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Rex Templin

This screen is installed across from the office. The LCD screens will be used to communicate information to the student body.

De Soto High School has recently gained a new way of communication: sets of LCD screens in strategically placed locations around the halls.

These screens will supplement the old way of communicating important activities information to the students, which used to include only a PowerPoint playing on repeat in the commons with two televisions, as well as inconsistent showings in Seminars.

According to Principal Dustin Mortenson, this communication system is an improvement.

“The large format displays will be a more efficient way of communicating great things our students are doing, great things the school is doing and the daily ins and outs of announcements. We’re trying to capture them in a way that will be appealing to students in the 21st century,” Mortenson said.

The funding for these screens was already planned for in the original plans of Phase 3, which will be completed before the start of the next school year.

Activities Director Ryan Johnson believes that the screens are not only an improvement in how the administration communicates with the students on a daily basis, but can also be applied to after school events, such as band or choir concerts.

“If we have events at night, we can put out specific information about those events too,” Johnson said.

Junior Cindy Amparan believes the LCD screens will be a good addition to the school as well.

“For passing periods, people can be more informed about what’s going on … If they have sports or activities going on it could help people become more involved,” Amparan said.

The LCD screens will provide a different medium for students to get important information about their activities and supplement the older way of communication. The funds were pulled directly from Phase 3 and will provide no extra cost to the school district.