Wake schools run into delays getting computers to students during coronavirus pandemic
The Wake County school system doesn’t expect to begin widespread distribution of computers to students who need them for online learning until next week.
Wake County school leaders have made a commitment to get computers and hotspot devices into the hands of students who don’t have them at home while schools are closed through at least May 15 due to the coronavirus pandemic. School leaders said Tuesday that they’re still trying to identify the families who need the devices.
“Our schools are trying to get the information from families on what they need and that has not been a quick turnaround to get that — understandably so,” Marlo Gaddis, Wake’s chief technology officer, said at a news conference Tuesday. “We will probably start some this week.
“We’ll most likely start with school distribution and then move to working with our transportation department to deliver devices as well.”
Wake also announced that schools will be open from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Wednesday for parents to pick up their child’s medication and any personal belongings. But Wake asked parents to limit the visit to only the family member needed to pick up the items.
Delays distributing computers could cause an issue for students at year-round schools, where teachers are supposed to begin offering lessons next week. Remote learning will start at traditional-calendar schools the week of April 13.
“We are working with our Area Superintendents to determine priorities and where to focus efforts in order to best meet student needs and stay within social distancing requirements,” Matt Dees, a Wake school spokesman, said in email. “As we prioritize, of course we are mindful that year-round schools will begin remote learning next week.”
Gaddis said the district plans to give students the Chromebooks that are currently used in classrooms. Wake wants the computers back after school reopens.
Teachers get new laptop computers
In the meantime, Wake is moving to finish getting new laptop computers into the hands of teachers to help them offer distance learning. The school board voted in October to buy 17,000 new Lenovo Thinkpad X1 Yoga laptop computers using money provided after voters approved a bond referendum in 2018.
“We’re working really hard to prepare remote learning resources so that teachers have support in learning how to quickly get up to speed if they aren’t already,” said Allison Reid, Wake’s senior director of digital learning and libraries. “Many of our teachers already were.”
Some parents have complained that it’s taking too long to resume learning . Schools have been closed since March 16.
But school officials said they had to take care of many issues, including setting up programs to feed students and getting guidance from the state on academic requirements.
“We are trying to make sure that we are not moving at a speed where we are leaving people behind,” Gaddis said.
This story was originally published March 31, 2020 at 11:21 AM.
