Introduction
With a rising student population and evolving classroom needs, Elkhorn Public Schools, one of the fastest-growing districts in Nebraska with nearly 12,000 students, turned to Vivi to power more dynamic, flexible, and connected learning experiences. Elkhorn has embraced innovative technology to enhance learning and communication across the district, and now Vivi is their tech standard, supporting thousands of students and educators across every building. Since launching Vivi in 2019, the district has expanded to over 1,000 Vivi devices, making wireless screensharing, digital signage, and live broadcasting essential parts of their instructional model.
Key Challenges
- Rapid Growth: The district needed scalable technology solutions to support new schools and a growing student population.
- Teacher Flexibility: Educators wanted tools that allowed them to move freely around the classroom without being tethered to a desk.
- Community Engagement: Maintaining connection and communication across the district’s campuses was a priority.
- Aging Display Technology: Many classrooms relied on aging devices or HDMI-based setups that can be costly to replace and increasingly unreliable—Elkhorn needed a solution that could extend the life of existing displays while delivering modern functionality.
Vivi Solutions: A Game Changer for Elkhorn
1. Wireless Screensharing: Empowering Teachers, Engaging Students
- Teacher Mobility and Flexibility: Vivi allows Elkhorn teachers to wirelessly share content from their devices without being tethered to their desks. This has reinvented their teaching model, making it more interactive across the board.
- Collaborative Learning Spaces: Classrooms have been reestablished as collaborative spaces, where teachers and students can share screens wirelessly to enhance group work and presentations.
- Scalable Deployment: With over 1,000 Vivi devices across the district, teachers in every classroom can easily access wireless screensharing, improving instructional efficiency across each campus.
- Device-Agnostic Simplicity: Vivi works seamlessly with any device—whether it’s a Chromebook, Windows laptop, MacBook, or iPad—allowing Elkhorn teachers and students to connect instantly without worrying about compatibility or cables.
2. Digital Signage: Building Community, Enhancing Communication
- Community Engagement: Vivi is not only a classroom tool but a critical component of Elkhorn’s communication strategy. The district uses Vivi’s broadcast capabilities to maintain a sense of connection, especially in larger schools where face-to-face communication may be limited.
- Morning News Made Easy: Elkhorn starts each day with excitement and connection through Vivi’s digital signage, where student-led morning news keeps everyone informed. Each week, two elementary students take the lead, delivering two minutes of joy-filled announcements that not only share important updates but also build students’ presentation skills and confidence.
- School Events: The district uses Vivi to instantly broadcast important messages and live events throughout each building, ensuring consistent communication and connection throughout the day.
3. Instructional Tools: Empowering Student Driven Learning
- Interactive Teaching Methods: Vivi’s wireless display capabilities support dynamic, student-centered instruction in Elkhorn, where teachers can easily switch between different student devices to showcase work and engage in collaborative problem-solving.
- Adaptation to Needs: Even in subject areas like math and science—where teachers initially struggled with the loss of traditional whiteboards—many Elkhorn educators have found innovative ways to leverage Vivi’s technology for interactive learning by leveraging student facing instructional tools.
- Professional Development Support: Although the pandemic limited in-person training, Elkhorn has used Vivi’s online resources and assigned tech facilitators in each school to ensure teachers are comfortable and excited to use the technology.
From this to that! 5th grade students love “anchoring” the morning news. No more need for expensive broadcasting equipment. Vivi makes it simple and fun!
The Impact: More Engaged Classrooms and a Connected Community
- Increased Engagement: Vivi’s flexible technology has transformed classroom dynamics, making learning more interactive.
- Stronger Community Connections: Digital signage and live broadcasts have improved communication and driven community engagement across the district.
- Efficient Tech Management: With over 1,000 devices managed centrally, Vivi’s scalable solution has reduced costs and simplified technology management.
- Engagement and Cost Control: Teachers report more engaged classrooms, and IT Administrators receive fewer tech support calls.
Looking Forward
Elkhorn Public Schools has truly demonstrated how thoughtful technology integration can enhance learning, foster collaboration, and streamline communication. Vivi’s flexibility and educator-centered approach have made it an essential tool for the district, supporting students, teachers, and staff alike. Elkhorn plans to double down on Vivi’s potential by exploring emergency alerts, expanding signage, and continuing to center tech on what matters most: student engagement and learning.
“Vivi listens to what educators need to support student achievement,” says Julie Patchen. “Vivi’s commitment to educator feedback ensures continuous improvement, making it an indispensable tool for Elkhorn Public Schools.”
