I think it depends on the max occupancy, if its a small theater it might not need voice evac. Generally though, I see the same thing in schools, voice evac in gyms and normal horn strobes everywhere else.
An “assembly occupancy” is defined as - An occupancy used for a gathering of 50 or more persons for deliberation, worship, entertainment, eating, drinking, amusement, awaiting transportation, or similar uses; or used as a special amusement building, regardless of occupant load.
So your magic number is 50 - if the room is designed to hold more than 50 people for the purposes stated above, it’s considered an assembly occupancy.
In an assembly occupancy “Occupant notification shall be by means of visible signals and voice announcements.”
This is from NFPA101 2003 edition, I don’t have code books prior to that. As long as the jurisdiction is following that version of the code, you could easily say anything built or renovated within the last 10 years, by rights, should meet that requirement.
Personally, I would like to see more voice evac systems used in various types of occupancies; such as apartment buildings, multi-tenant office buildings, really any location where you have different owners, tenants, or groups within the building. Would make emergency communication much easier when there is no centralized communication system. Plus, studies have shown that people tend to put more trust the voice evac massage more than just a horn going off; more people leave the building than stay behind because they think it’s a false alarm.
So my school is in SOOO much doo doo…
Keep in mind that the AHJ over your school may not be enforcing that code or that the system in your school could have been installed before they implemented it. The system wouldn’t have been installed and the building would not be able to be occupied if there was as big of a code violation as you’re implying.
Didn’t realize the magic number for the 101 was so low.
From the 2006 IBC:
[F]907.2.1 Group A. A manual fire alarm system shall be
installed in Group A occupancies having an occupant load
of 300 or more. Portions of Group E occupancies occupied
for assembly purposes shall be provided with a fire alarm
system as required for the Group E occupancy.
Exception: Manual fire alarm boxes are not required
where the building is equipped throughout with an auto-
matic sprinkler system and the alarm notification appli-
ances will activate upon sprinkler water flow.
[F] 907.2.1.1 System initiation in Group A occupan-
cies with an occupant load of 1,000 or more. Activa-
tion of the fire alarm in Group A occupancies with an
occupant load of 1,000 or more shall initiate a signal
using an emergency voice/alarm communications sys-
tem in accordance with NFPA 72.
Now here’s something interesting, the 2006 version of the IBC for group E occupancies only requires a notification system. The 2012 version requires voice/evac in all group E occupancies. In other words, any education facility built under the IBC 2012 codes now requires a voice system, as well as any assembly areas attached to them (like a theater).
Once again, just depends on the jurisdiction and what code/year it the building was built under. Some cities are still stuck on codes from the 90’s.
The only problem I see with a voice system in an apartment building, is not everyone speaks English. Fire alarm horns are pretty universal.
The school is two years old…
Well in that case, whatever jurisdiction your school falls under most likely uses/used and older version of code which doesn’t require speaker/strobes.
There are many more, but 3 is the max 
That is really helpful to have equipment labeled like that, especially for in the future. Nothing worse than being in an old building, searching through hundreds of old unlabeled panels and breakers just to turn off one or two circuits (City of Waukegan wanted the plant my dad worked maintenance at to turn turn off exterior lights for a fireworks show over the lake).
That is very true, the panels and breakers that are labeled are good to have. But some of these labels are completely unnecessary (that are not shown in those pictures). This causes things to look sloppy and overdone.
I can imagine. Especially on light switch plates, labels look very tacky and unattractive.
Too bad they didn’t go with embossed plastic labels. Although they look very industrial, they last a lot longer, can be removed easier, and look cooler in my opinion 
.
Yes they also look more professional, the only place they have embossed labels is on the soundboard (shows the channels). Im guessing if they used embossed labels one everything it would be quite pricey.
Off topic: Do they even make Dymo embossed label makers anymore? I’d love to buy one.
Yep. Staples sells them in store, I believe. You can also get all of the supplies and the units themselves on Amazon.