The Petersburg School District wants to be clear to the public why it switched to a single phone system, and how a toll-free number will increase accessibility and better facilitate workflow for educators and administrators.

Jon Kludt-Painter, the technology director of the Petersburg High School, headed the integration of a one number system. He said recent reports on school bulletins have advertised the new phone as a “District Office” number. It is not an office, rather an operator with nine call options, including a line to every school and departments like technology and bill paym...