American Time Blog

Anyone paying attention to changes in schools over the years will notice how evolving technology has altered the ways students learn. For example, iPads have replaced textbooks, digital whiteboards have replaced chalkboards, even the classroom itself has been replaced to a degree, with students able to take classes remotely over the internet. The question begs to be asked. Are analog clocks the next to go?

Technology hasn't just changed how we learn; it’s changed what we learn — and the kinds of lessons we value. As digital resources expand, some people question the importance of maintaining the old skills that were once required to survive in the world while others find worth in the mental challenge of doing certain tasks the "hard way."

For example, when word processors and computers became mainstream in America, it was debated whether cursive should be part of the curriculum. A similar discussion is now taking place as we consider the increasing prevalence of digital clocks.

With digital clocks everywhere, especially on the phones and computers that demand our attention all day, teachers are questioning what used to be a basic part of an elementary curriculum: Just how important is it that students learn to read an analog clock, anyway? Here are arguments on both sides.

Distractions are everywhere, whether it's your social media feed, your dog pawing at you for a scratch behind the ear, or a cloud in the sky that looks like ice cream.

All these things are wonderful on their own, but when you're trying to get some work done, it's best if you can minimize disruptions.

The same is true when your job is to keep your facility on schedule. Critical to this mission is your synchronized time system, which, in very rare cases, can encounter its own kind of distraction — signal interference.

It's a phenomenon you'll want to be aware of if your timekeeping system uses wireless clocks, which stay in sync by receiving a radio signal from a master controller. Here, we'll look at the causes of signal interference and the steps you can take to prevent it or mitigate disruptions.

Often in life, your decisions come down to two options. White or wheat toast. Grilled or fried chicken. Take the blue pill or the red pill — any Matrix fans out there?

You have a similar choice when choosing the display format for your facility’s synchronized time system — digital or analog.

While analog clocks have their place, there are times when digital is clearly the better choice. Here, we'll explore the advantages you'll enjoy with digital clocks and what you'll need to consider.

How much time do you spend making coffee in the morning, making the bed, brushing your teeth – heck, how about putting on your socks? Wait, don't answer that question; it's best not to think about how many hours of your life are consumed with mundane tasks.

The reality is that while we pursue meaningful lives, so much of our days are used up by chores that we would automate if we could, freeing up more time for the things we actually care about. This translates to work, too.

For facility managers, there are few aspects of routine maintenance that can be put on autopilot, but adjusting the clocks is one of those. Here, we'll calculate just how much time you have to spend making sure your clocks are on pace, time that you could get back with a synchronized clock system.

Remember when you had to go to places to run errands?

Of course, some people still prefer to physically go places, but it wasn't that long ago that if you wanted to deposit a check, you had no option other than to wait in line at the bank. Now you can use your phone to deposit a check.

If you're like most people, you've probably grown accustomed to using a computer and a web browser to take care of your routine business. Some common examples are shopping for new clothes online and conducting business meetings over video chat.

School maintenance workers and administrators can now experience this same convenience by accessing school bells through a web browser. For example, our AllSync® and SiteSync IQ® system can be used with Remote Connect to manage bell schedules. Here’s how to reprogram your bell schedule.

In an era when funding school improvements can be quite a challenge, a creative partnership between a school district and its internet service provider is especially noteworthy. Thanks to their unique collaboration, the district's new school has a state-of-the-art emergency communication network, and the ISP has increased visibility throughout the new complex.

It all started when Rushford-Peterson, the school district in Southwestern Minnesota, began planning its new centerpiece facility, a 170,000-square-foot complex that would serve pre-kindergarten through grade 12. When it came time to think about their synchronized clock system and in-school communications network, district leaders decided on American Time's EverAlert®, which utilizes integrated displays and audio communications to quickly disseminate information across a facility for emergency scenarios and day-to-day messaging.

It's back! American Time is excited to announce the 2nd annual Maintenance Hero Contest. This contest is open to any organization - private, public, nonprofit, educational or others - that wishes to nominate their invaluable maintenance professional.

At American Time, we take recognition seriously. And recognizing Maintenance Heroes is a passion of ours because they keep businesses humming in just about every industry imaginable. You know who they are, our ghostbusters, our supermen and superwomen, there to save the day when something is (quite literally) falling apart. Unfortunately, often times their heroism is behind the scenes and goes unnoticed. Maintenance professionals and are an integral part of any successful business and juggle a wide variety of skills to make sure everyone can keep moving.

George Wilkes, president of American Time says, "We're happy to to continue the contest and spotlight more Maintenance Heroes who are making a difference in their workplace." Take this chance to nominate your maintenance superhero and give them the recognition they deserve!

Technology is like sand on the beach. It has a way of getting everywhere.

There was a time when a phone was just a phone and a TV was just a TV, but technological advances have ways of seeping into the everyday objects around us. We have smartphones, smart TVs, even smart toasters. This also extends to clocks.

Advances in timekeeping have made it easier for people to manage and tell time, but some digital clocks are now portals to the outside world.

Here are some functions beyond the basics of timekeeping that can be integrated into a synchronized digital clock system:

Anytime Chuck Ehler, Superintendent at Rushford-Peterson Schools in Minnesota, gives a tour of a classroom, people say, “Wow! I really like the clocks that you have here. That is really impressive.”

Rushford-Peterson opened its new, state-of-the-art school in 2017, after flooding and aging buildings necessitated the project. But the district not only received a new building, it upgraded technology, too.

“We have everything in this building technologically — from programmable LED lighting to programmable heating and ventilation,” says Technology Director Corey Mattson. “We have wireless access in every corner of the building. We have a secure building with secure entrances.”

For anyone who takes direction from someone else — so, virtually all of us — it can be comforting to realize that your boss has a boss.

You might be told what to do every day and work under intense scrutiny, but the person scrutinizing you is also under pressure. See? Your boss is human, too.

But not all authority figures are human. Take, for instance, the clock on the wall. In a time-sensitive scenario, the clock is your boss, and if it's part of a synchronized system, the time it displays supersedes all other competing sources, such as phones or computers.