Hot(spot) for wifi

Forty high school students currently have mobile hotspots issued by the district, an increase from the 30 students who were issued them last year, according to Principal Andrew Rantz.

The hotspots are given to students who do not have access to the internet at home, said Mr. Rantz.

“We want 100 percent equity and equality. All students need access to internet in and out of school to ensure a proper education. This system ensures that happens,” he said. “[Hotspots] are ordered on an as needed basis.”

To acquire a hotspot, a student must inform a teacher or administrator that they need one; the student will be given one after an administrator makes a request to the tech department, Mr. Rantz said. He added that students keep the hotspots for as long as needed.

He said the hotspots are configured to each of the students’ laptops individually, and only the student’s laptop can connect to it.

According to Mr. Rantz, the data and management cost of each hotspot is $40 a month, while the physical hotspot devices themselves are free to the district and are provided by Verizon. He added that the hotspots speeds are “as fast as the signal allows, but they have 4G capabilities.”

Senior Mariah Fox said she has a school hotspot. “[The hotspot] works okay. I just have to charge it every time I use it.” She added there are not many issues with the hotspots, other than the battery dying quickly.