How Omnicharge Helped Fenton Charter School District Keep 2,650 Studen

The widespread rollout of the technology in classrooms provides students with better learning opportunities. However, it comes with a problem: how do we keep technology tools powered?

Keeping devices charged

Challenges

Fenton Charter Public Schools was renowned for delivering outstanding public education.

During the pandemic, they invested in over 2,650 iPads to provide one for every student.

The devices enriched the student’s experience with multimedia assignments, let them access standardized testing on online systems, and developed tech literacy and coding skills.

But they also brought a challenge: low batteries.

Gaby Arroyo and Jennifer Nishimoto were instructional technology coaches at Santa Monica Boulevard Community Charter School (SMBCCS), one of five schools within the Fenton organization.

They each taught 5 classes per day covering all the grades, and were intimately aware of the power source problem.

When batteries ran low at home, students could simply plug into a wall outlet and continue working on their assignments. But it wasn’t that simple at school.

The interruptions impacted as many as 10 students a day in each tech lab, pulling them off-task.

Gaby says, “If their iPad dies and takes five minutes to come back to life, that’s five minutes that they’re behind on what we’re doing.”

While the students lost valuable instructional time, the tech instructors were spending almost an hour and a half each day trying to manage and charge the iPads.

"We were constantly worrying about the iPads. During class, between classes, and at recess and lunch, we were spending nearly an hour-and-a-half each day managing batteries."

Jennifer Nishimoto
Instructional Technology Coach,
Santa Monica Boulevard Community Charter School

Jennifer and Gaby knew that the lost time would keep compounding if they didn’t find a solution that could:

1. Let students stay at their desks while charging.

2. Charge multiple devices at once.

3. Keep students engaged and lessons on-track.

The leadership at Fenton Charter Public Schools understood the problem. After a thorough search, they invested in Omnicharge power stations and portable chargers for the entire charter organization.

Simple and portable device charging

Solution

Fenton Charter Public Schools purchased a total of 154 Omnicharge Power Station 5x, which included 770 portable chargers.

They allocated 41 power stations and 205 portable chargers to Santa Monica Boulevard Community Charter School, providing one station in every classroom.

The experience in the tech labs was smooth and easy from the start.

Gaby says, "We ordered them in the summer and got them right away. We were ready to go for the first day of school."

Jennifer says, "I was so excited. I liked the portability of it."

The portable chargers could be brought to a student's desk, eliminating the disruption caused by students moving to wall outlets.

One power station serves a whole class

SMBCCS set up one power station in each classroom, including the two technology labs.

With their work space organized in six tables with three or four students at each, the five mobile chargers offered all the portable power their students needed.

Jennifer says, "The double charging ports were great. If two kids at one table needed the charger, they could use it at the same time. We can charge up to ten devices at once in every classroom, so there’s always enough power to go around."

Students remain engaged in their lessons

Being able to keep the students at their seats has been a game changer.

Jennifer says, "It used to take longer to teach. With kids sitting at the wall outlets and not able to see our instructions, we would have to keep stopping to make sure everyone was on the same page."

Gaby says, "Now, the kids are more successful. They can get juice to their iPad without leaving their seats, and everything flows better."

Another great advantage of the portable charging packs is that teachers can take tech-based lessons on the go.

Gaby says, "We’ve seen teachers use them outside. The kids will be creating photos or videos out in the yard, and some of them will have the Omnicharge on their iPad. It’s very portable. Probably lighter than my iPhone."

Instruction flows without interruption

The ease of using Omnicharge has made SMBCCS students more independent and allowed the tech instructors to get back to their most important work: teaching.

Gaby says, "We don’t have to worry about it anymore. Everything runs smoothly."

Jennifer says, "The students walk into class and just grab a charger because they know how to use them. I get a lot more accomplished in class without the interruptions."

The best part? Jennifer says, "We get our full recess and lunch now! We don’t have to spend them charging iPads."

810 hours per year reclaimed in just 2 classes

Result

By eliminating teaching interruptions, impaired student participation, and stolen break times, Omnicharge helped the technology labs at Santa Monica Boulevard Community Charter School reclaim 810 hours per year.

It’s been a game-changer, and that’s without even counting the impact in the other 37 classrooms. The Power Station 5x delivered portable, flexible device charging wherever SMBCCS students learn.

Jennifer says, "Our teachers use them every day. They’re just so easy."

With 800 iPads being powered across 39 classrooms, the Power Station 5x charging system is helping students stay engaged with learning and giving teachers critical breaks at lunch and recess.