The West Bend Current

By Keaton Beltmann, Current Staff

Every once in a while, students at the West Bend High Schools are jolted by a loud random noise coming over the loudspeaker system.

Many students have wondered what causes this weird feedback sound, which last happened Sept. 23. According to assistant principal Dave Uelmen, it was caused by an accidental press of the “all call” button on a phone in the East cafeteria. The feedback noise reverberated through many classrooms in the building.

“Every phone has an all call button on it,” Uelmen said. “I’m almost positive they all do, obviously the one in the cafeteria does because it got pressed.”

East sophomore Shiloh Peters says the unexpected squeal is incredibly distracting and physically painful.

“It interrupts a train of thought,” Peters said. “It’s hard to get the entire class back on track after something so sudden taking place. Also, the sound can cause some pretty bad headaches with how loud it can be some days, especially because I struggle with migraines.”

Like students, teachers are affected by the sudden noise. 

“It affects my ears, it affects my brain, it annoys me,” West business teacher Nick Heiting said.

Heiting also acknowledged that the bizarre noise has a comedic quality.

“Most students laugh when it’s over, that’s about it,” he said.

When the all call goes off, the office receives a report from the technology department that includes the phone location, time and duration. Administrators then investigate to find out what caused the button to be pushed.

If it happens again, teachers are advised to always check the phone in their rooms to make sure their phone isn’t the one causing the noise.

Uelmen, who was once the principal at Badger Middle School, explained that the current WBHS all-call system is different than one connected to a single microphone in the office. Now any phone can be used as a microphone to make an all-call page.

“The old Badger did have the old microphone and the plug in for it for the PA system, but it didn’t work as well as this new system that comes through the phones and the speakers,” he said.