WOODROW WILSON
HIGH SCHOOL
MCW
INNOVATION IN EDUCATION
WASHINGTON, D.C.
Woodrow Wilson is keeping students
and faculty connected through a
comprehensive teaching platform
with state of the art audio-visual
products and design integration from
MCW. Teachers and administration
staff helped provide direct input to
the strategic direction and design
principles for the facility.
THE CHALLENGE
The use of technology in today’s education system allows for
innovative collaboration techniques amongst students and
faculty. Woodrow Wilson realized their need for upgraded
technology as their existing technologies didn’t meet their
collaboration needs.
One of the main areas of concern was in the classrooms. The
classrooms were utilizing older technologies that hindered
class discussion and interaction, affecting the student learning
experience. In addition, the main auditorium’s sound and display
system wasn’t sufficient and resulted in less than satisfactory
performances. The school’s Public Address (PA) system
presented another challenge as their existing system solely
supported one-way communication throughout the school. Lastly,
the school needed a single location that controlled all classroom
media systems.
THE SOLUTION
The goal of creating a platform for improving communication and
collaboration involved many moving pieces. MCW implemented
a physical IP layer that is a tele-data network with a CAT6
horizontal wiring plant inter-connected via seven IDF closets
for a fortified network. Digital whiteboards, LCD monitors
and/or projectors with ceiling audio support were installed in
each classroom. All the classrooms digital whiteboard’s and
common area monitors and projectors are connected to an AMX
Woodrow Wilson High School, Floor Plan
Vision IPTV / CATV head-end providing the school
with custom digital content and archived video. The
solution for the auditorium included a 14,000-watt
Martin sub-woofer and in-line speaker arrays, two large
projection screens with two 6,000 lumens projectors
at the mezzanine level, a 200” screen with a 10,000
lumens projector supporting the main auditorium
video requirements, and an all-digital control room that
integrates the 48 wired stage microphones, multiple
wireless microphones and a Yamaha AV matrix control
board.
MCW designed a full digital Media Control Center
(MCC) that supports the entire scope of the school’s
media outlets. This includes a live production studio, a
video editing station based on Final Cut Pro, a full audio
recording studio based on Apple’s Logic Pro platform,
and video teleconferences based on centrally installed
HD-capable Tandberg video CODEC.
RESULTS
The implementation of the tele-data network allows the
students or teachers to connect to internal servers or
the internet. Digital whiteboards, LCD monitors and/
or projectors in the classrooms allow for teachers to
leverage the latest in interactive teaching methods and
foster a culture of collaboration in the classroom. They
allow a teacher to easily access multimedia content or
create a digital syllabus from anywhere in the building
at any time. Another way MCW helped keep the
school connected is with a facility wide, bi-directional
communication PA system in each classroom and
strategic common area. The system has the ability to
integrate with the school’s Cisco Unified Communication
System and is integrated with the clock and bell. The
design of the MCC provided the school with a single
location that controls all classroom media and classroom
audio recording. The solution has resulted in a more
productive and interactive school environment for both
students and faculty.