Califone Helps Saint Mark’s Make Learning A Joy
Case Study:
Saint Mark’s School
Altadena, California
Providing a well-rounded education isn’t the only mission at Saint Mark’s School, a private preK-grade 6 school in Altadena, Calif. The school staff believes it’s equally important “to make learning a joy rather than an assignment” and to prepare students to be self-confident, self-motivated and ready for the future.
Nestled in the foothills of Southern California’s San Gabriel Mountains, Saint Mark’s provides a nurturing, technology-rich environment where students can flourish. And with the help of Califone products to augment classroom instruction and school events, the school is achieving its mission. The school’s overall academic achievement has ranked in the 85th to 90th percentile over the past five years, consistently placing it high among independent schools nationally.
Saint Mark’s Principal Dr. Doreen Oleson has always turned to Califone for high quality audio products for the entire 15 years she has been at the school. “We keep using Califone because its products have excellent sound quality and projection at a reasonable price,” shares Dr. Oleson. “We receive substantial value.”
Dr. Oleson explains that when young students are learning early reading skills, sound crispness and audibility are critical. That’s why the lower elementary classrooms use the Califone wireless listening centers for such activities as listening to books on tape or CD. Students can clearly hear consonant and vowel sounds and pronunciations. The centers allow educators to group students together or individualize the instruction. “We strongly believe that Califone is the best choice for our language labs,” she stressed.
Some of the Califone products used within
Saint Mark’s daily activities
Saint Mark’s also relies on Califone headphones and headsets in its computer labs. The equipment endures repeated use by all the students in the school. Because of its durable construction, the Califone audio gear withstands the rigors of the lab as well as the classroom. Yet, the headphones are comfortable enough for the students to wear for long periods of time.
Saint Mark’s most recent audio investment was a wireless PresentationPro system that reaches up to 500 people. “We chose this system because it is so easy to set up,” Dr. Oleson said. “It worked wonderfully for the Halloween parade we staged on our athletic field.” With the ability to transport the system virtually anywhere, the school has also used it for large classrooms, sporting events and school-wide assemblies.
In addition to the portable presentation system, Saint Mark’s uses Califone portable megaphones to execute practice drills as part of its Crisis Management plan. For learning to occur, schools must be safe and secure environments. At Saint Mark’s it means being prepared for a variety of situations such as earthquakes and fires. The school trusts Califone products for communicating to students during critical times.
Dr. Oleson says Saint Mark’s School will continue to use Califone products well into the future. Califone supports the school’s multimedia environment to equip students with 21st century skills. With the help of Califone, students are engaged in classroom lessons and are pursuing learning opportunities at their own pace in the school’s many labs.
“We’ve tested other products, but none compare to the quality of Califone,” Dr. Oleson expressed. “The success we’ve had with the products speaks for itself.”
