Expanding WiFi access for students in Queen Anne's County

Home learning is the new norm for 2020.

That's been challenging but those hurdles are higher when you can't get on the internet.

EFFECT NOW WITH SOMEDIFFICULTIES.

IT'S CHALLENGINGENOUGH TO KEEP STUDENTS HEADSIN THE GAME WITH THE WEATHERWARMING UP.... BUT WHEN THEINTERNET CONNECTION IS NOTWORKING, THEN NO WORK GETSDONE.

WMAR 2 NEWS' DONHARRISON TELLS US ABOUT QUEENANNE'S COUNTY'S SOLUTION.Track: Home learning is thenew norm for 2020.

That's beenchallenging but, those hurdlesare higher when you can't geton the internet.

Sot: Even ifyou have internet, it can beunreliable.... Track: GregPilewski is the DeputySuperintendent for QueenAnne's county public schools.There are just under 8,000students in the county.

Mostof them live on Kent Islandwith good wifi connectivity.When you go a little farthereast and north of Kent Islandinto more farm country, theinternet service falls offsignificantly.

So they came upwith a solution.

Sot: So thisis a mobile jet pack of the100 that we ordered.... Track:To help with spotty or nowifi, the county bought 100mobile wifi devices and havethree hundred more coming inabout a week.

Close to 1000students need these.

A handfull of teachers who haveinternet problems got themfirst, now all the seniors andjuniors that need one haveone.

By the end of the year,they hope to have all thatneed the portable hot spots inplace.

That's phase one, phasetwo is to put wifitransmitters accessible fromschool parking lots.

Pull upand log on.

Stand up bridge:They didn't have enoughportable wifi units for everystudents and the hot spots atthe school can be 30 to 40minutes away from a studentshome so, they came up withanother solution.

Track: So,why not install a wifitransmitter in a school busand instead of studentsdriving a half hour or so toget to the school for wifi...the wifi in the bus comes tothem.

Sot: Some of those localcommunities that just maybehave a post office and a firehall, that might be able toreach more students as well.Track: So with this in place,learning from home is fullspeed ahead.

With the excuseof poor internet service offthe table, the alibi of nointernet is off the list.

InQueen Anne's county, DHTonight Scattered sh