Case Studies

PowerGistics Towers provide secure device storage in a small footprint

Replacing bulky computer carts with slim PowerGistics storage Towers has done more than free up space for Jefferson City Schools in Georgia. “The move has saved time, increased student accountability, and enhanced learning environments,” says Miranda Storey, Director of Technology and data specialist for the K-12 district.

“We love the small footprint of the vertical Towers and open concept,” says Storey, adding that classrooms typically have two 16-unit Towers. “A teacher can quickly see who hasn’t returned or plugged in their device to charge. Since two Towers take up less space than one cart, classroom desks can be arranged to increase collaboration.”

“There really isn’t any other storage device out there with a small footprint and open concept design.”

Small footprint

Each PowerGistics Tower can store from eight to 20 Chromebooks while taking up only about one square foot of floor space. For more than 20 devices, place two Towers at different locations to split the students up and to save time with less congestion at one access point. The military-grade aluminum units can be wall-mounted, free-standing, or on wheels. Computers lie flat and plug into a short cord that eliminates tangles or spine damage. Each individual shelf has dedicated cable management and can be numbered for effortless organization. The aluminum door can be locked without blocking the view of devices, so teachers can check device return status with one glance from anywhere in the room.

Jefferson City started with 64 freestanding Towers in August 2018, and now has 140 that store about 2,000 computers. As the district advances its 1-to-1 initiative, plans call for 1,100 additional Chromebooks, and two Towers in each academic classroom for grades 3 through 8. High school students may start bringing devices home, freeing up Towers, which can then be repurposed throughout and used for charging during lunch and specials, Storey says.

Improved workflow

“The Towers are literally plug-and-play,” Storey says. “When we rolled them out, teachers quickly began asking for them. Teachers love them because now they have more time to focus on quality instruction and engagement. The Towers have really improved workflow, and there is no training necessary.”

A typical classroom has one red and one blue tower, with students assigned a color and number for their Chromebook storage. Storey recommends that Towers be placed away from each other to reduce crowding.

“With the carts, students would climb on top of each other to grab a computer, and at the end of class, they would shove the computers back inside, damaging power cords, popping off keys or putting two laptops in one slot. It was a mess,” she says. “Now, students have ownership of the devices.”

Time savings

Teachers spend far less time managing bottlenecks, organizing or looking for missing devices, or scheduling repairs. “There really isn’t any other storage device out there with a small footprint and open-concept design,” Storey says. “PowerGistics Towers make everything easier for teachers.”

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