Since school buildings are closed due to the coronavirus, students are doing schoolwork at home, but not all of them have adequate access to the internet.
On March 23, Gov. Ralph Northam announced that all Virginia schools would be closed through the end of the school year, causing students to rent laptops from schools districts and do schoolwork at home.
But for many students, there isn’t adequate access to wireless internet at home. Williamsburg-James City County Public Schools estimates 10 to 15 percent of students don’t have access to reliable internet in the home, according to a news release from the Williamsburg Regional Library.
To address this issue, the library started a mobile hotspot program in March and now WJCC is following suit.
WJCC recently announced it would be starting its own mobile hotspot program, “Wi-Fi on Wheels” that will bring internet access to even more families in the area.
Brian Landers, senior director for technology, said the locations were chosen with in partnership with WRL by looking at the neighborhoods that weren’t already accounted for. The hotspots were bought by WJCC specifically for the program.
Two vehicles from WJCC will go to various locations in the community were up to 100 individuals can park their cars nearby to access the internet from the hotspot.
WJCC’s hotspot schedule is as follows:
Monday
Mobile hotspot 1
- Windy Hill Mobile Home Park, 8 a.m. to 10 a.m.
- Highland Park, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
- Little Zion, 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Mobile hotspot 2
- James Blair Middle School, 8 a.m. to 10 a.m.
- Lafayette Square, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
- Midtown Row (near Marshall’s), 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Tuesday
Mobile hotspot 1
- Lafayette Square, 8 a.m. to 10 a.m.
- James River Elementary School and Abram Frink, Jr. Community Center, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
- QuarterPath Rec Center, 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Mobile hotspot 2
- James Blair Middle School, 8 a.m. to 10 a.m.
- Country Village Mobile Home Park, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
- Midtown Row, 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Wednesday
Mobile hotspot 1
- Windy Hill Mobile Home Park, 8 a.m. to 10 a.m.
- Highland Park, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
- Little Zion Pocahontas Trail, 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Mobile hotspot 2
- James Blair Middle School, 8 a.m. to 10 a.m.
- Lafayette Square 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
- Midtown Row, 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Thursday
Mobile hotspot 1
- Lafayette Square, 8 a.m. to 10 a.m.
- James River Elementary School, Abram Frink, Jr. community Center, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
- Quarterpath Crossing, 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Mobile hotspot 2
- James Blair Middle School, 8 a.m. to 10 a.m.
- Country Village Mobile Home Park, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
- Midtown Row, 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Friday
Mobile hotspot 1
- Quarterpath Rec Center, 8 a.m. to 10 a.m.
- Highland Park, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
- Windy Hill Mobile Home Park, 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Mobile hotspot 2
- Toano Middle School, 8 a.m. to 10 a.m.
- Candle Factory Shopping center, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
- Warhill High School, 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
For more information, visit WJCC online.
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