Scattering of new Wi-Fi Access Points Aids in Equality of Learning for Cascade School District

School have been closed for six weeks, and there are eight more weeks of remote education ahead. Walking a few blocks to the Dryden ball field or driving a few miles to the 59er Diner every day are examples of what some students have had to do to keep learning.

Such students are part of the thirty percent of Cascade School District’s student population that has lacking or substandard internet in their homes. In order for these students to stay in touch with teachers and receive and turn in assignments, the district has created a scattering of Wi-Fi access points (twelve so far) throughout the district, so that every student can reach one within walking distance or a short drive.

These access points serve as pockets of free Wi-Fi hitched to a physical spot. The district has made sure that students can connect to the internet while sitting at a picnic table at each location or sometimes while sitting in a nearby car. Students using district laptops can automatically be connected to the district’s network at the access points. Access codes are required if using a non-school issued device.

CSD had to get creative and use different approaches at each location.

“We have four approaches,” explained Tracey Beckendorf-Edou, Cascade School District superintendent. “1) Use our existing technology at our school locations; 2) Partner with other organizations who have existing Wi-Fi, such as the 59er Diner and the Ponderosa Community Club; 3) Work with LocalTel on developing new spots. They did this at ValleyHi by putting in some equipment at a community member’s home and at the pump house to provide Wi-Fi in the park; and 4) We received some grant money to support purchasing a limited number of mobile hotspot devices from AT&T. This is how we put access points in Dryden.”

The AT&T hotspot devices were made possible thanks to a grant from InvestED and a donation Stevens Pass made to the Cascade Education Foundation.

CSD has made huge strides, but the work is not complete. “So far, we have been unsuccessful in getting a Wi-Fi access point in Merritt,” said Beckendorf-Edou. “There’s no fiber up there, and there are so many trees that it’s difficult to get a line of sight. Right now, our students who live in Merritt have to go to Cole’s Corner to get to the closest Wi-Fi access point.”

The district has come a long way in terms of technology since the last levy was passed. “It’s thanks to the community that students are so successfully learning remotely right now, because we have been able to lend hundreds of laptops, train teachers, purchase software such as our learning management system in our secondary schools, and more,” said Beckendorf-Edou.

In terms of preserving the framework for laptop loans in the future, she said, “We will need to take strides to improve upon that system of having a consistent, one-to-one take-home plan, at least for secondary students. We will need continued support for technology improvements in the school district, but we would also encourage the community to support state efforts towards broadband expansion. We support the expansion work the Chelan County PUD is doing in order to bring access via fiber to Eagle Creek, Chumstick and Stine Hill. We would love to see that kind of work grow even further up Blewett and up to Merritt.

“As long as we don’t have broadband access, we will have internet equity concerns, even though we are working hard to mitigate them.”

A list of the district’s Wi-Fi access points can be found at: www.cascadesd.org/Page/2211