York School District One, located in the suburban expanse of York County, South Carolina, serves 4,978 students across ten schools. At the head of their digital signage journey is Tim Cooper, an Instructional Technology Support Specialist.
His is an important role, bridging the technology and instruction departments. “I ensure our teachers and staff have the tools they need while troubleshooting and solving problems when things don’t work as expected,” Tim explains. “One of my early projects was to find a solution for unused TV displays across our schools.”
The Problem: Black Boxes in the Corners
Welcome to York One! #YSD1ElevatetoExcellence
The issue began with something a lot of schools are familiar with: outdated technology where displays installed in schools had become dormant. "We had black boxes in lobbies and public spaces—essentially wasted potential," says Tim. Leadership wanted these screens to deliver timely and engaging content across the district.
Tim recalls the principals and district leaders' frustration. Some of the older setups involved 32-inch TVs running rotating images from thumb drives. It was dated and ineffective. In some cases, the content hadn't been updated in years, with screens positioned so high that updating them required ladders.
Enter Rise Vision Digital Signage
York School District One explored various digital signage solutions, ultimately selecting Rise Vision for its affordability, flexibility, and ease-of-use with the hardware options.
While the middle school had a few TVs hanging blankly in the hallways, leadership wanted to roll out content across the district. To save his team time, York School District One chose to roll out Rise Vision’s media players and Avocor R Series displays in the areas with no TVs.
"We didn’t want our staff spending hours troubleshooting,” Tim shared. The system’s ability to allow for remotely managed hardware by Rise Vision was a game changer.
York School's Teachers of the Year display on the Avocor R Series.
“The Canva Integration is Super Slick”
Tim also highlights Rise Vision’s Canva integration and how important this feature was for their school district:
“We use Canva a lot in the district and for us, as we were shopping for services that was one of the pluses that I saw during the demo.”
Implementation: Rock-Solid Hardware and Hassle-Free Setup
York School District chose a combination of Rise Vision media players and Avocor R Series displays to bring their vision to life.
Installing the Rise Vision media player was hassle-free.
Hassle-Free Deployment
Tim recounts the ease of setup: “Installation was seamless. We unboxed the displays, connected them to Wi-Fi, entered the activation code, and they were ready to go. Some installs took as little as 15 minutes.”
Maintenance staff even managed some installations independently. “They texted me the activation code while still cleaning up,” Tim says. “It was that straightforward.”
Robust and Reliable Hardware
The Avocor R Series displays and Rise Vision players proved incredibly reliable. “Out of 35 players and 9 R-Series displays, I’ve only had two hardware issues, both of which were resolved quickly,” Tim notes.
Wireless connectivity and remote management added to the system’s appeal:
“I don’t want my staff to touch remote controls if they don’t have to. With Rise Vision, they don’t.”
Examples of York School District One’s Success
Under Tim's direction, York School District One had a number of successes but two stand out: student empowerment and updating out of date systems.
York School District One has had a number of successes with Rise Vision.
Empowering Students
During installation at the high school, a student council group passed by with paper flyers. “One student asked how they could get their content on the display,” Tim recalls. Tim connected with the student, gave them a 5 minute tutorial, assigned him permissions, and the next day the student was uploading content!
This interaction set the stage for future student involvement. Tim plans to integrate Rise Vision into the high school’s broadcast journalism class, empowering students to manage digital signage as part of their curriculum.
Upgrading Antiquated Systems
The district replaced outdated setups, including 32-inch TVs running rotating images via flash drives, with all-in-one Avocor R Series displays. “Some of these TVs hadn’t been touched in years,” Tim explained. Now, the schools have vibrant, dynamic content running 24/7 on 55-inch displays.
With Rise Vision, York School District One moved from static, dated systems to engaging, real-time displays that are simple to update.
Lessons for Other Districts
York School District One’s experience offers valuable insights for others considering digital signage:
- Focus on Ease of Use: Choose a system that minimizes technical complexity. With Rise Vision, even students can manage content after a brief tutorial.
- Invest in Reliable Hardware: The district’s positive experience with the Avocor R Series and Rise Vision players underscores the importance of dependable equipment.
- Leverage Integrations: Tools like Canva simplify content creation, making it easier for staff and students to contribute.
York School District One Transformed Black Screens with Digital Signage
York School District One transformed black screens into a vibrant communication tool, engaging parents and students alike. It’s not just about the technology—it’s about how digital signage supports the district’s mission to communicate effectively and creatively.
Their journey highlights the power of digital signage in education: improving communication, empowering students, and creating a more connected community.
Interested in how your school can use Rise Vision? Book a free demo today!
