Goodbye Old Processes: Increasing Security and Engagement at Pasco High
Discover how Pasco High revolutionized its operations with an all-in-one campus management platform, quickly phasing out old procedures and ushering the school into a more modern era.
About Pasco High
Students
2500
Grades
9-12
The Challenge
Overhauling 30 Years of Old Practices, Smoothly and Effectively
Old processes for campus security and student engagement missed the mark at Pasco High. The leadership team was faced with the complex challenge of overhauling several years of long-standing operational practices.
A vague open campus policy, lack of proper IDs, and zero system to monitor entry and exit resulted in unauthorized students from other schools constantly entering the grounds unnoticed, posing various security risks. Paper hall passes aggravated the problem — they took far too long to write, were often abused, and did not provide any useful data on student whereabouts.
Additionally, encouraging student engagement was difficult. The previous PBIS punch card system wasn’t working well; cards were often unused or lost. Plus the absence of a central communication hub to keep kids in the loop about campus events further hindered efforts to foster a connected school community.
KEY PROBLEM AREAS:
“
We have 2 lunch periods, with about 1,200+ students per lunch, who may want to leave the building. So we need to be able to get students out quickly. We need to be able to make sure who has privileges to come in and go out and check IDs quickly. Most of the solutions that we came up with really did not work.”
The Solution
Empowered by Digital Tools, a Modern School Campus Takes Shape
Pasco High’s goal was to revolutionize campus operations across several departments — so it was crucial to find a software solution that housed all the tools they needed under one roof. Minga ticked all the boxes.
Administrators quickly tackled key campus management headaches with Minga’s digital IDs, digital hall passes, a robust communications module, and an easy-to-use check in system. The student engagement piece was also addressed through the Behavior & Rewards module which now provided teachers with an easy vehicle to hand out praise and recognition of positive student behavior.
Minga quickly streamlined admin but more notably, the digital tools empowered Pasco to develop much-needed processes. For the first time ever, the school established a clear off-campus lunch policy — an attendance-based scoring system that granted lunchtime privileges. This system, focused on punctuality and regular attendance, allowed students to earn the freedom to leave the campus for lunch, encouraging responsible behavior and accountability.
What Minga Offered:
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Finding Minga was like Christmas — all of a sudden, you’re getting every present you wanted. It was like: ‘Wow, we get this. We get this. And we get this?’ We initially just needed the IDs and digital hall pass. But we quickly found out that we could do more, it was more cost-effective, and we could bundle these things together. That made it an interesting solution.”
The Outcomes
Enhanced Operations Pave the Way for Stronger Student-Teacher Bonds
Improving Campus Ops While Reducing Teacher Workload
Minga has significantly reduced the administrative burden on staff, freeing them up to focus on more meaningful tasks. (No more spreadsheets that aren’t up to date!)
Strengthened Student-Teacher Relationships
By replacing the old punch cards with a digital rewards system, Pasco High has made it easier for teachers to give praise to students, significantly bolstering student-teacher relationships.
An Improved Learning Environment for All
Teachers using the new praise and rewards system have been noticing a positive influence on classroom dynamics.
Digital IDs are Prepping Kids for Life Beyond School
Minga’s digital IDs have become a key part of the daily routine at school, similar to how IDs are used in the workplace or in official circumstances. This helps prepare students for the realities of adulthood, where such practices are part of day-to-day life.
Improved Communication Process
The Minga home feed and SMS notifications have significantly improved school communications, eliminating the need for admins to send 100s of emails that never get read.
Reduced Tardiness and Clear Tardy Data
Minga’s real-time data monitoring provides clear visibility of tardiness patterns, which has been instrumental in proactive student interventions that have reduced tardiness.
Are You Ready to Increase Security and Engagement?
Get results like this! Schedule a 30-minute demo and discover firsthand how our Campus Management Platform can be tailored to meet your school’s unique needs.
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Before, we didn’t have data. But now we can see trends in terms of students out in the halls, who’s using a lot of passes, or the key times that more hall passes are being used. That data is allowing us to respond effectively.”
