Making sure all 284 remote students and 954 hybrid (remote/in person) students have the tools to learn from home, the West Liberty School Board of Education heard an update on technology, Monday, Aug. 17, at a virtual/live meeting of the council held at the District Administration Board Room.
The district is not only buying enough computers so every student can learn from home in the largely 50/50 remote/in person, but are training teachers on the technology and creating Internet hot spots for families in preparation for the first day of classes Tuesday, Sept. 8.
The district’s director of technology, Brian Rance, noted teachers are working at getting certifications in operating the two school platforms set for students including Google Classroom for first grade through high school seniors while pre-school and kindergarten students will use Seesaw software.
He also said the district bought 100 hot spots from Verizon Wireless that will be set up for families who don’t have Internet access in their home while also creating hot spots at certain venues in the community including the high school parking lot. He said there would be limited access on the hot spots as households are to use the service simply for educational purposes. He said as many as 10-12 devices could be hooked into one hot spot.
Rance said Google is having trouble shipping Chromebook computers into the nation, with just 50 percent of supplies imported into the country, but said there are movements to try to fix that problem. The district ordered 500 Chromebooks in May from Google, and Lance says he still has hope all the computers will be delivered before the start of the school year and expect 60 percent of the Chromebooks to be in the hands of the district by the end of the month. The computers, along with 1,200 Chromebook BumpArmour protective carrying cases, were purchased through a federal Cares Act grant that was part of the first COVID-19 government stimulus package.
Rance said he hopes to be able to distribute the computers for each student the first week of the school year, working with building administrators to make that a reality.
FOR MORE ON THE SCHOOL BOARD MEETING OF AUG. 17, INCLUDING AN UPDATE FROM THE NEW FOOD SERVICE DIRECTOR, PLEASE PICK UP A COPY OF THIS WEEK’S INDEX.