When Ohio Governor Mike DeWine first announced the temporary school closures earlier this month, it set off a chain reaction in the education world of districts how to educate their students remotely. Logistics was obviously a problem, in particular, because of internet access.
For whatever reasons, not every family has internet access. The longer the closure stretches on, the bigger a problem that fact will become.
Knowing this, St. Clairsville-Richland City Schools Superintendent Dr. Walt Skaggs worked to find a solution for families in the district’s outlying areas. He announced it Friday via the district’s Facebook page.
St. Clairsville has partnered with the Barton Volunteer Fire Department, Belmont College, the Fairpoint Polish Club, Glencoe Community Center, Maynard Polish National Alliance and Ohio University Eastern to provide students with login access to these facilities’ Wi-Fi routers. Students needing access need only drive to one of these locations, login in, and download the essential coursework required and return home.
“We knew once this started, we’d be able to see which students had internet access and which didn’t, and we were trying to come up with those numbers and a solution,” Skaggs said. “We do have a number in our outlying areas that do not have access. So, we reached out to these organizations and I just can’t say enough how they have stepped up and been super supportive.”
Skaggs noted that in some areas, like portions of Maynard, it’s difficult to get good cell reception, let alone internet access. These families could drive into town as the school’s Wi-Fi at both in the front of the high school complex and down near the press box at Red Devil Stadium are available. But when you live clear in Barton, or Glencoe, or in another far corner of the district, that option is far from convenient.
#TogetherStC
The hashtag “TogetherStC” has become a slogan of sorts for the districts. But the coronavirus pandemic has shown that for this community, it’s more than just a catchy slogan that closes out messages the district posts.
From the police department offering to do welfare checks on students stuck home alone to the Monday meal pick-up program ensuring that students who received free or reduced school lunches still had healthy meals to eat each day, the people of St. Clairsville are rallying together to see no one slips through the cracks. This latest gesture by the aforementioned organizations further illustrates this fact.
“I can’t say enough about how positive this has been as we’ve pulled together as a community and done what we needed to do,” Skaggs said. “It’s really opened my eyes to what #TogetherStC truly means.”
District teachers also have been reaching out to families they’ve discovered likely don’t have technical means to access the internet, i.e., no computer. Skaggs noted that they’ve been able to track which families have accessed the online materials and which haven’t.
“Most kids have some type of computer, but we’ve made contacts, or are in the process of, to get Chromebooks out to those students that don’t have a computer. I’d say there’s less than 10 percent in the district that doesn’t have access, so we are making sure they can get their lessons,” Skaggs said.
Belmont College 
Ohio University Eastern
Returning the Favor
In order to accommodate the anticipated load increase on these organizations’ routers, upgrades will be needed. For its part, the school district is offering to cover said upgrades, along with paying the internet fees for the remainder of the school year.
“They are kind enough to provide access to the students for free and will need to do upgrades, so we are partnering with them and will pay for the internet for the remainder of the year,” Skaggs said. “they are providing a spot to park and gain access, it’s the least we can go.”
Skaggs said for those in town, there are a number of options, including the two spots at the school complex which have been boosted. Also, the signal near the front of the school has been moved closer, so families can pull up near the flagpole, park, and download what they need. Other options include Sheetz, Kroger, Walmart and Lowe’s.
While DeWine’s original announcement called for students to return to the classroom in little more than a week, his recent statement of not expecting COVID-19 to peak until mid-May likely will push that date back.
“That’s why we’re being proactive,” Skaggs said. “We have a feeling it will be longer than next Monday, probably into May. That’s why we’re working on this to make sure get the equipment into the hands of the kids that need it and get them access as well.”
