Ardmore city schools receive 500 WiFi hotspots
More than 850 will go to schools in Carter County
ARDMORE, Oklahoma (KXII) - The Oklahoma State Department of Education announced Sunday that they will be giving 50,000 WiFi hotspots to students across Oklahoma. Five hundred of the devices will go to Ardmore City schools.
The hotspots will allow students without access to the internet or WiFi to connect to the school’s WiFi at home. Ardmore City Schools’ superintendent Kim Holland said the district is very happy with the number of hotspots given.
“We think it’s a generous number for us,” Holland said. “We’re very pleased with that.”
Holland said last semester was difficult when COVID-19 shut down schools after spring break. Five hundred of Ardmore’s elementary students and more than 10 percent of junior and high school students didn’t have internet access.
“It was not an ideal situation,” Holland said. “We’re far more able to take it on this year.”
Instructional reading coach Callie Pollard agreed.
“It will really help our students be able to connect at home with the school so they can still feel included and still not miss out on any sort of curriculum or teaching,” Pollard said.
Ardmore City Schools Teacher of the Year Zach Birth said the shut down last semester was disappointing for him.
“Any good teacher will tell you they want to be in that classroom,” Birth said. “They want to be with those kids. They want to see them on a daily basis, build those relationships, and impact those children.”
Birth said it’s harder to get to know students when class only meets online, but not impossible.
“We’re going to make the most of it,” he said. “That’s what our administration is trying to do with these Hotspots.
Pollard said her students and families were willing to be flexible last semester.
“Even though it was a quick transition and we were all scrambling, it worked out well,” Pollard said. “Everyone was able to rebound really quickly.”
Holland said it wouldn’t have been as doable without the staff he has now.
“I think our educational staff and support staff worked incredibly hard to get us ready for this,” Holland said.
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