Facebook grant to put Wi-Fi on more Crook County school buses
PRINEVILLE, Ore. (KTVZ) -- On the heels of a $50,000 grant that supplied new Chromebooks for elementary students in the Crook County School District, Facebook is making it possible for more school buses to be equipped with Wi-Fi through another sizable, $30,000 donation.
There are currently five district buses outfitted with Wi-Fi that are being used as hot spots for students who don’t have internet at home. This donation will add Wi-Fi to 19 additional buses, for a total of 24.
“Facebook’s generosity never ceases to amaze me,” said Superintendent, Dr. Sara Johnson. “We’ve been concerned about making sure all of our students have Wi-Fi access as we launch the Learning @ Home program and this helps tremendously bridge that equity gap.”
Before the donation, CCSD planned to install Wi-Fi on more buses so students can access their accounts and finish homework before arriving home - especially on long routes.
In response to school closures and students learning from home, the bus Wi-Fi program launched Wednesday with six locations around the county. All school buildings in the district also act as Wi-Fi hotspots.
Dr. Johnson says the goal is to install the devices right away once they arrive, so the district can expand Wi-Fi locations and provide free internet access in more strategic locations.
