School boards delivering mobile technology to students in need for online learning
Article content
Both of the largest local school boards have started dispersing thousands of mobile technology devices to students in need so that they may also continue learning at home.
The Windsor Essex Catholic District School Board and the Greater Essex County District School Board mobilized efforts last week to identify students in need and inventory available resources.
Both boards started distribution at the school level this week.
Schools have been closed because of the coronavirus since March 13.
We’re meeting the demand that was requested of our board
John Ulicny, WECDSB’s superintendent who oversees information technology, said the board would be loaning out approximately 1,700 devices to facilitate online learning.
Chris Mills, the GECDSB’s superintendent who oversees IT, said the board had 1,600 requests for technology but doesn’t yet have a final tally of how many pieces are being distributed. He said they were doing their “absolute best to support as many families as possible.”
“We’re meeting the demand that was requested of our board,” Ulicny said.
Technicians collected mobile devices from schools last week to be programmed, catalogued, cleaned and sanitized.
The WECDSB started handing out devices Tuesday at various schools either in a drive-through fashion or at an outside table with hand sanitizer and enough space to maintain physical distancing.
“It’s unique at every site,” Ulicny said. “Of utmost importance is the safety of our staff and the safety of our public.”
He said devices have been pre-packaged with all the necessary paperwork so parents or guardians have nothing to sign.
Ulicny said the board is pooling resources in order to meet the different degree of need across the region.
He said Chromebooks were doled out in the first wave of distribution with Ipads going out in the second wave.
“If there’s a need, we’re here to assist and provide,” he said. “We know this is the platform moving forward and we’ve been preparing for this.”
Ontario Premier Doug Ford announced Tuesday that schools would remain closed until May 4 while the ministry of education announced a new plan to re-establish teacher-led learning using technology.
“We hope to be in a position where kids can resume interactions with teachers as soon as April 6,” Ulicny said.
Spokesman Scott Scantlebury said the public board hopes to complete distribution by the “end of the week so we can begin the teacher led learning online in an equitable fashion on Monday.”
Mills said those students in need in kindergarten to Grade 3 would receive Ipads while Grade 4 through 12 would receive laptops.
The public board was distributing bagged devices at the school level by prearranged visits.
Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion. Please keep comments relevant and respectful. Comments may take up to an hour to appear on the site. You will receive an email if there is a reply to your comment, an update to a thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information.