User Guides
Over the recent years, the school district has utilized GO bond funds to improve energy conservation and utilization across their 53 sites. As part of their projects, all lights in the district was converted to LED and thermostat upgrades were added for centralized automation.
Below are use guides on the functions of these new district wide systems.
MDUSD Guides
LED Lighting Guide
LED Lighting Project - Information Guide, PDF
Below is a reposted version of the guide for your convenience.
Use the tabs to navigate between Information, Troubleshooting Issues, and FAQ.
Information Guide
Vocabulary
Each classroom is equipped with a battery powered Bluetooth keypad dimming controller (“dimmer”) in addition to their regular light switches ("light switch").
Lighting Control Guide
All overhead lights will turn off after no motion is sensed for 30 minutes. Classrooms are set so that the occupant must turn the lights on by pushing the Auto or On/Off buttons on the dimmer controller upon return. Please expect slight delay on button push.
Note: If any light switch is off – you must switch it on to use the dimmer.
Color Tuning Control Guide
Classrooms with color tuning will have different functions on their dimmer switches.
Troubleshooting Issues
Reasons to Call Dispatch
In the event that your lights are not functioning properly, please inform your office of your issues.
If your office and custodians are unable to resolve the issue, please have the office call M&O's dispatch at ext. 3884 OR email phanh@mdusd.org.
Remember: dispatch calls and emails should be done only by your central office staff. Please make sure your name, site, area of concern, and a description of your issues are provided.
Are your lights not turning on?
Questions to ask yourself:
- Are the light switches flipped on?
- Did you try the opposite direction, just in case?
- Have you raised the intensity of the dimmer?
If your site custodian is unable to fix the issue… have the office staff call M&O Dispatch at ext. 3884.
Note: Light switches must be on to use the dimmer. If all lights are out, please check the breaker box before calling M&O Dispatch.
Please do not:
- Cover light sensors: Lights use the sensors to detect infrared which will keep the lights on in an occupied room or turn them off in a vacant room.
- Cover photocell detectors: Brightness of the environment is detected using the photocells.
- Remove dimmer switches from the wall: This is considered vandalism of district property.
- Yell at the lights: The lights do not have sound detection services. You’ll scare them.
If you are experiencing issues with your lighting:
Please troubleshoot with the teacher, office manager, and custodians on site. Usually, turning your light switches off and on will reconnect and fix certain problems. If the issue is not user error or occurs frequently, office staff may contact the Maintenance & Operations Dispatch line in order to get the issue resolved at ext. 3884 OR contact Facilities Technician Han Phan at phanh@mdusd.org for assistance.
FAQ
What are LED lights?
LED lights are electric lights produced using light-emitting diodes.
Learn more at: energystar.gov
Why did the school district get new lights?
The LED Lighting Project is part of the school district’s efforts to switch to energy saving programs.
Learn more at: energy.gov
Why aren’t my fixtures new?
With over 53 sites in the school district, the budget did not accommodate cosmetic upgrades. Each individual room is assessed and determined whether new fixtures will be installed OR if bulbs will be replaced to be LED. Existing LED lights were not in scope of the project and remain the same.
Do my lights still have incandescent, compact fluorescent (CFL), halogen, or mercury / sodium vapor bulbs?
All lights have been changed to LED. If you suspect that your lights have not yet been fully converted, please call M&O dispatch to check on the completion progress of your site.
Do my light switches have to be on to turn on the lights?
Yes, the light switches are used to power the lights. Light switches must be on in order to turn on the lights and adjust the intensity with the dimmer. The lights can still be turned off using primarily the dimmer, but the dimmer will not work unless the light switches are on.
Why is there both the light switch and the dimmer switch?
In case of a dimmer switch failure, teachers will still be able to turn their classroom lights on and off while their dimmer switches are being fixed.
Why don’t the lights turn on when I enter the room?
The lights are not programmed to detect occupancy (whether a room is being used). They are programmed to detect vacancy (whether a room becomes empty).
Once a room becomes vacant, a 30 minute timer begins. If no more activity is detected within those 30 minutes, the room is considered vacant and the lights will turn off. To turn them back on, you must turn the light switches off, then on. The dimmer will work normally after the switches are refreshed.
Will I get color tuning in my classroom?
If your classroom has been identified as a SPED classroom by the school district, there is a possibility that your classroom will get color tuning. Color tuning can be used to change classroom lights between warm, neutral, and cool tones.
As of January 31, 2024, color turning has been installed in all classrooms previously identified.
What is color tuning used for?
The color temperature and intensity of lighting can influence the overall feeling or mood of a learning environment. These stimuli may especially affect students with autism, ADHD, or other neurodevelopmental conditions. Educators can select settings that best fit the needs of their classroom.
Learn more at: Technical Report on osti.gov
My lights are too bright! Can you turn them down?
All classroom lights have dimmers. Please use the “scene” button to toggle between preset light brightness. Teachers can also use the down arrow on their dimmer switches to further lower the lights.
Offices and hallways generally do not have dimmer switches. Please call dispatch to adjust office lights within the allowed range.
Thermostat Guide
Thermostat Controls Guide
As part of the district's energy conservation efforts, thermostats are now connected to the district automation system.
Controls that users may use are the HVAC mode selector, temperature adjustment, and the occupancy override.
- HVAC Mode Selector: press the button to change the mode. A total of 4 modes are available: cooling, heating, auto, and off. When in auto mode, the system automatically selects heating or cooling as needed for comfort.
- Temperature Adjustment: use the arrows to increase or decrease the temperature setpoint for heating or cooling. The range for heating is 66-70 °F. The range for cooling is 72-76 °F.
- Occupancy Override: during non-working hours and holidays, the district may set an unoccupied status to select rooms. The override button displays only when the system displays as unoccupied. Press the button to run the system for one hour.
Reasons to Call Dispatch
In the event that your thermostat is not functioning properly, please inform your office of your issues.
If your office and custodians are unable to resolve the issue, please have the office call M&O's dispatch at ext. 3884 OR email phanh@mdusd.org.
Remember: dispatch calls and emails should be done only by your central office staff. Please make sure your name, site, area of concern, and a description of your issues are provided.
