Océ @Lake Central Schools

Lake Central High School Print Center “Goes Digital” with Océ technology

World-class training for students. Ultra speed and quality for customersIn the summer of 2010, Lake Central High Schools transformed its offset print center into a state-of-the-art digital printshop and vocational training center powered by the industry’s latest digital technology. Located in the northwest corner of Indiana, just 40 miles from downtown Chicago, Lake Central School Corporation serves some 10,000 students in the tri-town area at six elementary schools, three middle schools and Lake Central High School, which serves 3,200 vocational and college-bound students.

The vision: a 21st century printshop and graphic communications programThe mission of Lake Central School Corporation is to ensure that every student becomes a self-directed learner and a contributing, responsible citizen through an instructional delivery system that engages students to achieve their personal best. In an increasingly technology-driven world, digital tools are essential to delivering on that promise and providing students with a world-class education.

This is the vision that inspired Lake Central High School Graphic Communications instructor Jereme Rainwater to re-energize the school’s graphic communications program and update the in-house printshop located in Lake Central High School. A long-time Océ customer, Lake County School Corporation had several Océ copiers and smaller walk-up devices in copy rooms and administrative offices throughout the schools. For years, the high school print center, an offset shop, provided a backup print resource and training facility for graphic communications students.

The vision: a 21st century printshop and graphic communications programThe mission of Lake Central School Corporation is to ensure that every student becomes a self-directed learner and contributing, responsible citizen through an instructional delivery system that engages students to achieve their personal best. In an increasingly technology-driven world, digital tools are essential to delivering on that promise and providing students with a world-class education. This is the vision that inspired Lake Central High School Graphic Communications instructor Jereme Rainwater to re-energize the school’s graphic communications program and update the in-house printshop located in Lake Central High School. A long-time Océ customer, Lake County School Corporation had several Océ copiers and smaller walk-up devices in copy rooms and administrative offices throughout the schools. For years, the high school print center, an offset shop, provided a backup print resource and training facility for graphic communications students. However, Jereme Rainwater envisioned much more for the print center. He wanted to transform the analogue copy center into a modern, full-service printshop that could support the school district’s printing needs – and provide students with hands-on experience on the most advanced digital hardware and software technology available.

“We really wanted to move into the digital realm,” says Rainwater. “Our goal is to prepare our students for whatever path they choose – whether they’re pursuing a college degree or vocational training or headed directly to the workforce. The idea was to grow the graphic

communications program, attract print volumes with a new digital printer and electronic job ticket software that would make it easy for teachers and staff to submit jobs and train the kids on a true digital workflow.”

The wish list: digital imaging with exceptional quality, speed and reliability “I had a wish list,” says Rainwater. “I knew Océ from the walk-up machines used throughout the schools. And when I met with the advisory council they agreed that Océ technology was the way to go.

“I was looking for a state-of-the-art production-grade digital imaging system. We wanted excellent quality, speed, and reliability, as well as integrated finishing and the ability to do some of the maintenance ourselves. When I researched what was out there, I was impressed by the simultaneous duplexing, near-perfect registration, speed and quality of the Océ VarioPrint® 6000 Ultra Line. I also discovered that it’s environmentally friendly, uses 45 percent less energy than conventional systems, uses 100 percent of toner, with no waste and is ENERGY STAR® certified. So I submitted my request to the corporate office, waited and hoped for a positive outcome.”

Into the new school year with a new digital printer and workflowIt was right before the school year was about to begin and Rainwater still didn’t know if his request had been accepted. “Next thing you know I was in a classroom across the hall doing desktop publishing and was told the machine would arrive in an hour,” Rainwater recalls.

Sure enough, in July 2010, the solution Rainwater had hoped for – an Océ VarioPrint 6160 Ultra for black & white printing, Océ PRISMA®access to enable electronic job submission, and Océ PRISMAprepare, an all-in-one makeready tool were installed. The state-of-the-art print center went live just before the doors to the school opened for a new year. “The installation was quick and easy,” Rainwater recalls. “And the system is so intuitive and easy to learn that we had already printed 400,000 images on it before we were trained. Already, we’ve printed 969,000 images since the machine was installed two months ago.”

From an aging offset facility to a modern, digital printshopToday, the student-run printshop combines innovative digital technology with an offset press and bindery equipment to provide a full suite of services for the entire school distric t, comprised of: six elementary schools, three middle schools and a high school.

“We are an entrepreneurial center run by 120 students and one instructor. We print more than 750,000 pages a month for teachers, faculty and various school departments. Jobs include hall passes, assessment tools for curriculum mapping, course materials, individual worksheets for teachers, vocabulary cards, lesson plans, business cards and district-level letterhead,” says Rainwater.

While jobs are submitted both as digital files via email and hard copy, the high school printshop is working with Océ to migrate to 100 percent electronic submission. “Currently teachers email files to one of the printshop accounts we’ve

“I have to laugh when I see

the Océ service technician,”

says Rainwater. “We’ve had

the machine for two months

and haven’t needed repair.

“We used to be a backup

resource. Now we produce

90 percent of what the

school system needs.”

Jereme Rainwater, Graphic Communications Instructor, Lake Central High School

created. We open up the files and send them to Océ PRISMAprepare to make digital enhancements,” says Rainwater. “With Océ PRISMAaccess software, they’ll fill out an electronic job ticket and submit jobs for students to review, accept and print.”

“We used to be a backup resource. Now we produce 90 percent of what the school system needs – and we feel like a true digital printshop that can prepare students for a future in printing,” notes Rainwater.“Right now we’re trying to fulfil the needs of lots of individual teachers,” Rainwater adds. “Most jobs require lots of variable data – everyone wants everything personalized. Before they’d call and order 100,000 copies of a worksheet for the entire math department. Now, each teacher personalizes worksheets to their own needs, so we have lots of smaller runs.” “In the offset days, we simply couldn’t afford to make metal plates and set up the press for individual smaller runs. “Now teachers can sit at their desks and either email their information or submit an electronic job ticket. If they’re in the same school, we’ll deliver the jobs right to the classroom. If they’re at another school, we’ll set up delivery via the Corporation Delivery System. “ In addition to the enhanced printing capabilities, the printshop is now moreefficient in make-ready and finishing tasks. “Being able to go into Océ PRISMAprepare and create margins for a job to be three-hole-punched,” says Rainwater, “It’s making a wonderful difference for everyone.

You can’t imagine how exciting it is for the science department to be able to get documents three-hole-punched so they don’t have to do it themselves. We simply make the adjustments in Océ PRISMAprepare – there’s no need to take the job to Quark Express® or Indesign® and risk losing quality.”

The science teachers aren’t the only ones enjoying the benefits of the streamlined digital process. “Now the kids are learning how to think about everything a finished job will need at the prepress stage,” Rainwater points out. “On the offset equipment, they’d print a job and then go to three-hole-punch and realize they didn’t leave enough room. With Océ PRISMAprepare software, they have all the information and tools they need right there. It’s been a tremendous addition to our printshop.”

A streamlined digital process delights students, teachers and customers“Océ PRISMAaccess is a really big improvement for us,” Rainwater observes. “In the past I’d be walking down the halls and teachers would see me and say ‘Hey Jereme, I have a job that needs to be printed’. I’d keep walking and then wonder – how many copies did they want? What exactly did they need? With Océ PRISMAaccess, the whole process is automated.”

“It’s unbelievable how happy everyone is now,” Rainwater concludes. “I was named teacher of the month the first month the Océ solution went in. The digital workflow makes everyone’s job easier and lets the teachers do more in the classroom. I’ve received lots of positive feedback.”As for service, “I have to laugh when I see the Océ service technician,” says Rainwater.

“We’ve had the machine for two months and haven’t needed repair. There are things that we can do ourselves, so in addition to learning the fundamentals of running a digital printshop, our students are learning basic troubleshooting and simple fixes.”

All told, Rainwater is delighted with the difference the Océ digital technology is making in the graphic communications program and printshop operations. “I would fight them if they tried to take the machine out. It’s exciting to see the printshop go digital. We provide great services to the school system and our students have learned a whole new set of skills they never had before.”

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