American Time School Blog

Remember the wonder you felt when you first went online? The beeps and screeches of that old modem were less an annoyance and more a promise of the wealth of information awaiting you – just on the other side of those digital doors. 

This was when there was still a divide between the world of 1s and 0s and the rest of our lives. Yet that dichotomy is fading more and more as the cohort of youngsters known as the digital natives grows up. For them, there is no boundary between the internet and what some might call the real world. The internet is the real world, and the classroom is part of it.

Hence, educators have no choice but to incorporate digital learning into their routines. The educational opportunities can be transformative, but like any powerful tool, teaching methods that embrace digital technology should be employed with ample preparation and a healthy dose of caution. 

Here, we'll look at some ways technology can transform classrooms for the better, but also how it can present some pitfalls that you should avoid.

When considering all of the factors that lead to successful educational outcomes, it's critical to understand the importance of school bonding. Of course, finance and construction are related, since any major building project in your district is likely to require school bonding. But we're talking about the emotional and social type of bonding that exists between the students and the school where they spend so many of their waking hours. 

Still, both kinds of bonding are intertwined. The construction of a new school and other major building projects presents the chance to enhance that connection, one that social scientists deem a vital indicator for positive youth outcomes. Here, we'll look at what this connection is, and how you can use your building project to make it stronger.

School is a place to learn. That's the basic principle we teach our children from the first day we send them to school, and it's the driving force behind the quest the create the best learning environment for them. We build new schools, hire good teachers, regularly evaluate new teaching styles and constantly tweak our classrooms to create the best learning environment for the students.

Yet despite our constant focus on finding what's best, the search still continues. After all, we are constantly learning more about what helps them learn. So, let's examine the importance of effective learning environments, and how to create one of your own.

When you're shopping for anything new, it's common sense to think about how it will complement what you already have — the same holds true when you're investing in new clocks for your school. Whether you're just replacing a few old clocks, or have a whole new wing to integrate into your existing school clock and bell systems, there are a few factors to consider that will ensure a smooth transition. Short on time? Check out a short video on clock integrations here. 

Technology has a way of forcing everyone around it to keep up. To make sure you're optimizing the technology experience in your schools, it's important to think about which of your learning tools might be in need of replacement as you work to fully take advantage of your digital ecosystem.

You wouldn't start writing an essay without thinking of the thesis. You wouldn't put flour in a cake after it's out of the oven. And, you shouldn't design a new school building without baking in plans for your synchronized clock system.

There are a lot of factors to consider when integrating the clocks with a new facility, and it's easiest to address the time system as the building designs are drawn up. Anything after that may create more work. 

Let's look at what factors you should be considering as you build your gleaming new complex.

If you’ve got an older building, it likely has a wired clock system. And some of those clocks may be failing or require regular maintenance that sucks up time and energy from your maintenance team. Plus, what will you do for synchronized time if you expand or remodel your building or campus?

That’s the beauty of the SiteSync IQ Wireless Clock System. SiteSync IQ wireless clocks are one of the few technologies on the market that can work with a legacy wired clock system or a newer wireless system. Plus, as your wired clocks burn out, they can simply be replaced by one of our wireless clocks – even if the brand isn’t American Time!

Some people are happy if their car just gets them from point A to point B. Others need to know what makes it go. But if you're in charge of maintenance at a school, you're expected to know how just about everything works; it's your job. 

Among the inner-workings of your building that you'll want to understand is your bell system. The more you know about the bells, the more confident you'll be on the job. You'll be less stressed, too, with the comfort of knowing you can handle issues as they arise, before they turn into headaches.

In tandem with synchronized clocks, your school's bell system is what keeps the day moving along smoothly, so it's important to have a handle on it. With that in mind, here's everything you need to know about the bell system that keeps everyone on schedule. 

Do you feel like you have a lot to keep track of in your life? Maybe you have to remember to drop off and pick up the kids from school. Perhaps you have some dry cleaning to pick up once in a while. And most of us have bills that need to be paid at certain times of the month.

That's likely only scratching the surface, but you probably aren't responsible for making sure dozens of kids are taking their vital medication on time throughout the day. Unless you're a school nurse. Nurses don't just take temperatures and soothe upset stomachs all day; they're tasked with keeping a meticulous schedule for administering any medication that the students might require.

It's another example of how a synchronized clock system can prove indispensable, because when it's your job to make sure kids are taking their medicine on time, you want to be sure your clocks are keeping the right time, too.

To give your students the best chance possible to succeed, you can't overlook the little things. Don't believe it? Just take a look at the wall — and the clock that's on it. Schools operate on a set schedule, and the quality of your clocks plays a crucial role in maintaining that schedule. You likely don't think of clocks as an essential piece of your curriculum or program, but you may not realize how much a faulty clock system can sabotage the productivity of a school day.

Fighting for part of any school's budget is no easy task, but the payoffs of better school clocks can have a lasting effect on your students, your classroom, your colleagues and your school. Here are 4 reasons why you should support better school clocks in your upcoming budget or bond: