Apple iPad Grant Aids Home Schooling Effort in Perry Co.

From the West Alabama Newsroom–

Public schools across the state are back in session. However, the COVID-19 outbreak has forced school districts to home-school students.

Classes have resumed at Perry County Schools — although students will stay home while learning.

“This is uncharted territory!”

Superintendent Dr. John Heard says the Apple ConnectEd grant — awarded to the school district back i 2014 — is making the transition to at home student learning — a lot easier.

“The entire school system, thanks to the Apple grant is equipped with personal devices for every students and every teacher,” said Heard.

Heard says 80 percent of students in the district — are able to get and send school work online. He says school work packets are available for pick up — for students who don’t have internet access.

Heard says the district is also working to convert school buses into mobile hotspots to provide internet service to students without it.

“It will allow up to 50 students to log on to one bus. It’s called Cradlepoint. And the child can actually access that. Stay in the car and access the internet. And they can be as far as a 150 feet away from the bus and still log on.”

Heard says teachers and staff have worked extremely hard to get everything ready to restart the school year.

“They put our students first. And they’ve came out — doing what they need to do — and making certain that none of our students — including our special needs students are left behind.

The Perry County school district serves about 1155 students and has a 150-person — faculty and staff.