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Recent tech upgrades help districts in pandemic

Courtesy Photo Alpena Public Schools technology interns Meghan Roznowski and Ben Poli sanitize Chromebook laptops Aug. 20 at Besser Elementary School in this photo provided by the district.

ALPENA — The technology many Northeast Michigan schools have purchased over the last five years has positioned them to handle online learning suddenly necessary because of the coronavirus pandemic.

While an earth-stopping outbreak wasn’t part of district officials’ technology plans, which are designed to keep their students relevant with the times, the purchases have made schools ready for the situation they now face, school leaders say.

Last spring, after the coronavirus pandemic began to spread in the state, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer forced non-essential businesses and schools to close to prevent the spread of the virus. The closure forced districts to offer emergency remote and online learning and forced teachers to adapt their lessons to an online format.

As school resumes this week for many students and next week for most, schools will offer a mix of online and in-person learning as the virus continues to spread in the state.

It was not immediately clear how much money all districts in Northeast Michigan spent on technology in recent years, because many districts did not provide that information in response to The News’ request.

But many districts improved infrastructure and purchased Chromebook laptops to give students access to computers and online learning. Officials from Posen Consolidated Schools and Onaway Community Schools did not return messages seeking comment.

‘WE’VE SHIFTED GEARS’

Alpena Public Schools officials spent a little over $3.3 million investing in new technology in the past five years.

Those purchases have ranged from increasing the district’s network capabilities and security to providing Chromebook laptops to all district classrooms to purchasing software that expands remote learning capabilities.

Paul Mancine, APS director of information technology systems, said one of the primary goals of his department is to try to anticipate the district’s technology needs at least two to three years ahead.

“Years ago, we started upgrading our infrastructure to prepare for wireless at the level we would need to provide proper support and communication for basically 3,600 Chromebooks being online — and that’s just for students,” he said.

Mancine said the district used to have desktop computer-based labs, which relied on cable internet, but transitioned to wireless internet as the district began transitioning to laptops.

He said the department first set a goal of “high availability,” in which students would have access to a Chromebook in every classroom, and began piloting one-to-one technology — meaning one computer for every student — with sixth graders at Thunder Bay Junior High School.

“To be honest with you, this summer, we had planned on going one-to-one at the ninth grade level to continue to expand it,” he said. “But, because of what happened this spring, we’ve shifted gears from a slow, methodical approach to try to get these out to ramping it up. We’re now going to be one-to-one K-12.”

Mancine said that would allow students to take the technology home with them in the event of a coronavirus-related shutdown, so students could continue their learning online.

‘ALL OF THAT STUFF NEEDS TO BE RIGHT’

In the surrounding communities, Alcona Community Schools, Atlanta Community Schools, Hillman Community Schools, and Rogers City Area Schools have invested in infrastructure and are moving toward one-to-one technology for their students.

In the past five years, Hillman and Atlanta have used a mix of grants and their general funds to purchase technology.

Carl Seiter, superintendent of both Hillman and Atlanta schools, said that, when he was hired as in 2017, he was not concentrating on devices.

“You have to get your backbone of your technology infrastructure up to snuff before you can purchase all these devices,” he said. “Because you have to worry about bandwidth, you have to worry about reliability of network switches and servers. All of that stuff needs to be right before you can add hundreds of devices.”

Seiter said both Hillman and Atlanta schools now have enough devices to bring one-to-one technology into the classroom, but district officials have not yet explored letting kids take those devices home.

He said that is because the districts would have to develop a very specific set of guidelines — which would include details like what happens if a student breaks a device, and who pays for it — and district officials haven’t done that, yet.

Rogers City officials also built upon the district’s existing infrastructure, which included more than 150 desktop computers in labs, over the last five years, Technology Coordinator Jason Bark said in an email to The News.

The district purchased 50 laptops in 2015 for “various student uses” and purchased another 50 laptops for teachers in 2017, Bark said. In 2018, district officials purchased 120 new laptops with charging carts and more than 200 Chromebooks and carts for the elementary school.

He said the purchases in 2018 brought the elementary school to one-to-one in the classroom, although students are not allowed to take the laptops home.

Alcona Superintendent Dan O’Connor said that, about four years ago, the district began providing one-to-one Chromebooks for students in grades nine through 12, and were able to provide Chromebooks to students from grades six to 12 in the following year.

When the pandemic hit, the district had about 500 Chromebooks at its disposal, and, when the district received money through the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act this spring, officials purchased enough Chromebooks for every K-12 student to have one, O’Connor said.

“At this point, we’re planning on one-to-one,” he said. “We’ll be ready to pivot to completely one-to-one in allowing every family to take home a Chromebook — even at the elementary level — if we’re forced to go remote.”

O’Connor said the district has been consistent in investing in and updating the district’s infrastructure. District officials typically budget between $100,000 and $150,000 each year to purchase technology, but O’Connor said they had to cut back on what was budgeted as the economic shutdown meant to prevent the virus’ spread drained money from state coffers.

Alcona also plans to help students and their families who may be struggling with internet access.

Crystal Nelson can be reached at 989-358-5687 or cnelson@thealpenanews.com.

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