Central Texas school district benefits from printing and security solutions and supportive staff

Melville, N.Y. – Canon Solutions America, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Canon U.S.A., Inc., has announced its collaboration with Manor Independent School District (MISD) to advance district-wide print security and efficiency, as well as participation in a philanthropic mentorship program focused on its student body.

MISD, which serves more than 9,600 students over 15 campuses within a wide section of Austin, Texas, needed the services of a support-driven organization to manage and safeguard its printer fleet. As a result of a detailed assessment by the Canon Solutions America professional services team, the district implemented a security-centric and process optimization solution that helped MISD to streamline workflows, trim expenses, and reduce exposure to unauthorized access.

Canon Solutions America provides MISD with more than 70 units, ranging from the imageRUNNER ADVANCE C5560i to the varioPRINT 140, and helps to elevate reliability, efficiency, and technical capabilities with the deployment of a unifying suite of products, including: uniFLOW, PRISMAdirect, and PRISMAprepare. The same series of software also enables the district to address security concerns, maintain intricate budgets, control workflows, and reduce production time.

"Canon Solutions America consulted with us. While they provided us our hardware, which performs at a high level, the software solutions, like uniFLOW and PRISMAdirect, are where we were able to address deficiencies within our processes to become more productive and, in turn, save money," said Wayne Fulton, Assistant Technology Director at MISD. "The implementation of these solutions streamlined the way we received print jobs with a minimal staff. While most K-12 print shops staff four or five individuals, we can staff just two thanks to this software. The performance of the hardware and software speaks for itself, and when you add in Canon Solutions America's commitment to community, it brings our relationship full circle."

Most recently, Canon Solutions America equipped the district with RightFax, a centralized, computer-based fax solution that provides enterprise-grade faxing capabilities across the entire organization. MISD needed to eliminate its antiquated analog fax line and take advantage of the benefits of a modern-day information exchange solution that allows the district to manage and distribute sensitive documents such as student medical records, helping them to maintain compliance with HIPAA laws.

"While there is certainly a place for paper in schools, the prevalence of this medium for teaching and administrative purposes opens up the door for cost-saving, productivity-enhancing, and security-boosting solutions that move classrooms further into the 21st century," said James Bsales, Director for Solutions & Security Analysis at Keypoint Intelligence, a research firm focused exclusively on the document imaging industry. "In our independent research, Canon Solutions America has consistently proven itself as a leader in implementing 'best practices' solutions for its education customers with software and services that help to streamline tasks, reduce expenditures, and enhance document and data security."

Canon Solutions America's relationship with MISD extends beyond just the print workflow sphere. The district's active youth mentorship initiative pairs disadvantaged students with adult professionals to provide support and guidance and accelerate growth and responsibility.

Canon Solutions America proudly supports this cause with a pair of associates actively participating in the program to further motivate and enrich the students with educational opportunities. The children, who sign up voluntarily to join the program, range in class level from second grade to seniors. These students have experienced a variety of hardships, such as an incarcerated parent, a divorce, or a death in the family.

"(The Canon Solutions America mentors) have just been a perfect match for the kids," said Myra Hernandez, Mentor Coordinator for Manor ISD. "Both of these children have had difficulties in their family. Through the mentorship program you just see the difference, the happiness in the kids' lives. The parents are contacting me, letting me know how excited they are. They look forward to the visits. It's just something that has become very meaningful for these two children."

Said Peter Kowalczuk, President of Canon Solutions America: "Canon Solutions America's connection with MISD goes beyond just business. While we're proud that our software solutions have made a direct impact on the district's ability to help assuage security and print management concerns and accelerate output, we're equally as honored to provide the MISD community unwavering support within the mentorship program."

For more information on Canon Solutions America, please visit csa.canon.com.