Wifi expanded for Middle Georgia school systems

This week governor Brian Kemp announced that several schools around Georgia would receive funding for extended Wi-Fi.

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This week governor brian kemp announced that several schools around georgia ..

Would receive funding to help extend wi-fi service.

41nbc's peyton lewis has more.

36 school systems in georgia have been awarded a grant to go towards expanding wi-fi services.

The list includes school districts in middle georgia, one of them being baldwin county.

Dr. noris price, baldwin county's superintendent, says the grant will bridge the digital divide between students.

"i think during this pandemic and the school closures.

A lot of things have come to light, one of them happens to be the digital divide that exists especially in rural georgia.

We have had students that have not had access although we tried to get them free interbet access through several internet providers."

Dr. price says equal educational opportuinties are important, and the baldwin school system is doing everything it can for students.

"in addition to the wifi provided by the grant, we will also be purchasing antennas that we can put outside of the schools so parents can drive up and have internet access.

We are also buying wifi hotspots that students will be able to check out so everyone can have access to the internet.

" ryan maraziti, a fifth grade teacher at lakeview academy in baldwin county, says the wi-fi will also help teachers do their jobs as well.

"now we give these kids a vote in their own future now, because they're able to deal with this.

And that's such an important vision for the community, because it's actually going to influence change in the community as well."

Maraziti says it's been hard not communicating with his students face to face every day, but says he believes this experience is for the best.

"i think there's going to be a new appreciation for a lot of people, i think its going to change our perspectives on our expectations.

Not that we expect less, but i think there are areas outside of academics that we're going to understand are just as important."

Dr. price says the school system will begin working on the wi-fi installations this week.

The wi-fi system will be installed on school buses to grant access to families.

The school buses will drive to their assigned neighborhoods each day to allow students to complete schoolwork.

Dr. price says she hopesthe system will be ready in next few c1 3 b13 weeks.

In milledgeville, peyton lewis