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NEWS
Fauquier Times | www.fauquier.com | May 20, 2020
Pilot project would put Chromebooks in Fauquier High students’ hands By Robin Earl
Times Staff Writer
At the May 11 school board meeting, school board members heard a presentation about a potential pilot program that would provide Chromebook computers to every student at Fauquier High School. Louis McDonald, director of technology for the school division, explained the proposed initiative, which would require the purchase of 1,600 computers. McDonald said that FHS would be the best location for the pilot program because of its superior infrastructure and its proximity to school division offices. “I have four [IT] people who are within walking distance,” he said, so support during the program’s initial phase would be more readily available. If approved by the school board, the project would be extended in 2022 to Kettle Run and Liberty high schools and to Southeastern Alternative School. Supplying middle schools with the technology is a long-term goal, slated for fiscal year 2023. McDonald said the school board will be provided more information before a final decision is made on the FHS project. “We want to be sure we have 100% support,” he said. The key to the project is $1.2 million in Virginia Public School Authority funding (plus $570,000
that is expected in July). McDonald explained that the VPSA oversees several financing programs for schools. One of them is the School Educational Technology Notes program; the funding is to be used primarily to establish a computer-based instructional and testing system for the Standards of Learning and to develop the capability for highspeed Internet connectivity at high schools, followed by middle schools and then by elementary schools. McDonald said that the annual funds received can be used to purchase technology that supports SOL testing. These funds have primarily been used to provide computing devices for students, but some funding has been used to expand the wireless infrastructure. McDonald said the up-front cost for the pilot would be $842,000, with a recurring annual cost of $70,000 for support, repairs and replacements. The money would pay for the 1,600 FHS Chromebooks with care packages and for 600 additional machines and care packages for student use in case remote learning is again required at some point in the future. McDonald said the school division receives the $570,000 VPSA funding at the beginning of every school year, so recurring costs will be covered. He said until they decided between PCs and Chromebooks, the county held off on spending the VPSA funds.
Toward that end, a pilot of the pilot was conducted this year, in two classes each at Fauquier, Liberty and Kettle Run. Some students were given Chromebooks and others were given Windows laptops. McDonald said, “We polled both the students and teachers … to get their feedback. Overall, either device was considered acceptable.” The experiment revealed that Chromebooks seem to be a better choice, said McDonald, due to “ease of system management, unit cost and set up for SOL testing.” The technology director said that he expects to learn a lot from the all-FHS pilot. Questions to be answered: What will be the impact on the school’s infrastructure if every student has a computer? Should the computers be collected at the end of the school year so they can be cleaned and upgraded? What metrics should be used to evaluate the success of the program? What will device support look like? Will a student help desk be needed? What
training will teachers need to make the most of the new technology? Superintendent of Schools David Jeck was particularly concerned with this last question. “We’ve got to provide training,” he said. “We want it to be successful.” He said he has been impressed by how teachers have been instructing students remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic. “As awful as it’s been, our teachers are stretching. They are learning the technology piece. But we’ve got to offer the training.” Major Warner, associate superintendent for instruction, said that training modules are being developed now. “We’ll start to roll them out this summer.” He said there will be no additional cost for the training. “We have all the resources we need.” McDonald said that he would like to provide teachers with Chromebooks as well, so they can learn how to use them effectively with their students. McDonald said, “Once we know how the pilot goes, we can develop a plan.” Jeck reminded school board members that McDonald’s staff is already stretched thin and that the project could result in more IT support personnel being needed. School Board Chairman Duke Bland interjected, “I think we’re going to have to look at personnel sooner rather than later.” Reach Robin Earl at rearl@fauquier.com
Fauquier County Schools deploys 10 Wi-Fi enabled buses
IMPORTANT TAX NOTICE
The first installation of your 2020 Real Estate Tax bill(s) has been mailed and is due June 5, 2020. Failure to receive the bill does not relieve the taxpayer of penalty and interest charges that accrue by law for failure to pay the tax assessment on or before June 5, 2020. If you did not receive your bill(s), please contact the Treasurer’s office at (540) 422-8180. If you question your assessment please contact the Commissioner of the Revenue at (540) 422-8140 (M-F 8:00AM-4:30PM). Payments may be made by cash or check at local branches of the following banks: TRUIST BANK (BB&T) OAK VIEW NATIONAL BANK PNC BANK THE FAUQUIER BANK Payments may also be made by check or money order to the Treasurer’s Office via mail to: TREASURER OF FAUQUIER COUNTY P.O. BOX 677 WARRENTON, VA 20188 You may also pay with eCheck or pay with credit card (VISA, MASTERCARD, or Discover Card) at etreasurer.fauquiercounty.gov (Credit card payments are subject to a convenience fee). A night deposit box is also available for CHECK PAYMENTS ONLY. It is located to the right of the doors entering the courthouse on Ashby Street. Night deposits are picked up daily and processed in the Treasurer’s office. IF YOU ARE MAILING YOUR PAYMENT, IT MUST HAVE A POSTMARKED DATE OF JUNE 5, 2020 (OR BEFORE) TO AVOID THE LATE PAYMENT PENALTY. Senior Citizen and/or Disability Real Estate Tax Relief - You may qualify for Senior Citizen and/or Disability Real Estate Tax Relief if: You are over 65 years old or permanently and totally disabled and you live on the property, the total combined income of the owners of the dwelling living therein and of the owner’s relatives living in the dwelling doesn’t exceed $58,000 excluding the first $10,000 of income of each relative living in the household and combined Net Worth doesn’t exceed $440,000 exclusive of the Fair Market Value of the dwelling. For additional information please call the Commissioner of the Revenue’s Office at (540) 422-8140. If you are experiencing a hardship as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak that prevents you from paying your taxes in full by the due date, please email the Treasurer at treasurer@fauquiercounty.gov. Tanya Remson Wilcox, Treasurer
The Fauquier County Public School Division deployed 10 school buses equipped with Wi-Fi hotspots to locations throughout Fauquier County this week. Each bus emits a Wi-Fi signal up to a distance of 300 feet. By launching this fleet of smart buses, FCPS aims to increase student access to learning during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. “Thanks to Dave Graham [executive director for administration and planning] and Cheryl Fisher [director of transportation] for making this happen for our kids. I know families appreciate this resource,” said Superintendent of Schools David Jeck. In March, FCPS surveyed families to gauge the need for devices and Internet access. Schools followed the FCPS Device Distribution Plan to distribute more than 500 Chromebooks to students in April. When more than 400 households responded that they did not have adequate internet access, the school division ordered the Kajeet school bus hotspots. The hotspots were installed on buses parked in strategic locations. See WI-FI, page 6