Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

In an effort to help students access needed classroom resources with schools now closed due to COVID-19 Charlotte County Public School (CCPS) officials have enabled hotspots in several locations to open wireless internet connections.

Currently, hotspots are located at Bacon, Phenix, and Eureka elementary schools, and the school board office. The name of the wireless is “SBO Wireless.”

“There are a couple of content restrictions, but otherwise, the parking lots at these schools will serve as open wireless access locations for our students and the community,” CCPS Superintendent Robbie Mason said.

Just last week (CCPS) learned that it would receive $609,305.37 as part of the CARES Act Funding for Virginia Schools, and according to Mason, those funds will be used to purchase Chromebooks for students and to provide instructional technology for students next school term.

With the use of Chromebooks comes the need for internet, and that is something the county has been lacking in.

Mason says that the hotspots were made because, “We have students who need this internet access to download classroom resources.

“We certainly understand the lack of internet in the county, and we are trying to prepare downloadable materials and lessons in case we need them next school year. Once materials are downloaded, they can be accessed without the internet,” he said. “ We are working hard on our distance learning plan and will be forming a committee of teachers, administrators, board members, and parents to help us later this spring to finalize those plans.”