Xirrus, Inc., the leading provider of high-performance, long-range Wi-Fi products, announced today that Envision Schools (ES) has selected Xirrus Arrays for complete Wi-Fi coverage across each of its campuses. Envision Schools, a non-profit charter management organization located in the San Francisco Bay area, will deploy Xirrus’ solution on the campuses of all four of its high schools: Impact Academy of Arts & Technology, Envision Academy of Arts & Technology, Metropolitan School of Arts & Technology, and City Arts & Technology High School, all of which are located in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Envision uses the latest in technology to support its progressive project-based instructional model, which utilizes a personalized learning environment and workplace learning. Arts and digital technology are integrated across all content areas as tools for understanding and expression.
The schools have a 2:1 student to laptop ratio, making online connectivity critical to the learning process. The Xirrus Wi-Fi rollout is part of an overall infrastructure upgrade which includes improvements of the school’s Wide Area Network (WAN), to ensure each of the campuses have high bandwidth connections to the Internet. ES needed a unified and centrally managed Wi-Fi network that would provide more coverage, capacity and more security, which was delivered by Xirrus.
“Xirrus’ Wi-Fi network is part of our three-year technology plan designed to deliver on our mission to get all students, especially First Generation College Bound students, to and through college. We use technology to enable our students to achieve advanced levels within California State Standards,” said John Krull, VP of Technology at Envision. “All Envision schools utilize online connectivity in obtaining academic and non-academic skills and knowledge necessary to be an educated person in the 21st century – our newly deployed Xirrus Wi-Fi network is critical to meeting the needs of students.”
“Envision’s previous Wi-Fi solution couldn’t support their authentic learning approach that integrates multiple subject-matter disciplines when teaching a particular topic,” said Tony De La Rosa, regional director of sales and marketing of Xirrus. “Having access to the Internet to research and find data is crucial to the learning process the school has put in place. As a company who prides itself on being steps ahead of the industry, we truly appreciate the efforts Envision is making to raise the standards of education.”
About Envision Schools
Envision Schools (ES) is a non-profit charter management organization located in the San Francisco Bay Area, currently operating four innovative college-preparatory high schools with a fifth scheduled to open in Fall of 2007.
Co-founded by Daniel McLaughlin, a former Vice President at Bank of America, and Bob Lenz, an award-winning teacher and nationally recognized school reform leader, Envision Schools began operations in June 2002. ES creates small, high-performing urban public schools designed to serve diverse student bodies, particularly First Generation College Bound (FGCB) youth.
All existing schools are achieving high attendance rates and impressive test results with diverse student bodies, including a significant percentage of youth whose families are low-income and/or represent minority communities. For more information, visit www.envisionschools.org.
About Xirrus
Xirrus, the leader in high-performance, long-range Wi-Fi is making “the air the network.” Xirrus manufactures the patented Wi-Fi Array platform that integrates up to 16 radios with an onboard Gigabit Switch, Wi-Fi Controller, Firewall, and dedicated Wi-Fi Threat Sensor into a single device. The Xirrus solution delivers 2X the range, 4X the coverage, 14X the throughput, and requires 75% less devices, cabling, switch ports, and installation time compared to any competitive solution. Xirrus Wi-Fi Arrays are ideal for any organization deploying Wi-Fi, especially those that require support for large coverage areas, dense user populations, and high bandwidth applications.
Xirrus is a privately-held company headquartered in Westlake Village, California. For more information, please visit www.xirrus.com.
Xirrus – The Air is the Network™
Xirrus – Intelligent Wi-Fi™