ISLE OF WIGHT Co., Va. - If you have a child in the Isle of Wight County Schools system who needs Wi-Fi to complete their work remotely but your family doesn't have internet access at home, the school district is committed to closing the digital divide.
IWCS has stationed four school buses with Wi-Fi access at areas throughout the county to provide an additional resource for families who may not have internet access at home. The buses will be parked in these locations through the end of the current academic year with the hope that families can use these hot spots to download assignments for their children that can be done at home.
In addition to the buses, all nine schools in the division have a wireless signal accessible from their parking lots, which will be available 24/7.
The buses will be parked at the following locations:
- Otelia Rainey Community Center, 33475 Carver Rd., Franklin, Va. 23851 (dawn to dusk access)
- Bethany Presbyterian Church, 5358 Zuni Circle, Zuni, Va. 23898
- Carrollton Cove Shoppes, 15042 Carrollton Blvd., Carrollton, Va. 23314
- First Gravel Hill Baptist Church, 5230 Old Stage Hwy., Smithfield, Va. 23430
Use the IWCS Secure network if you have a school-issued device and the IWCS Guest network for all other devices.
Related: Norfolk schools close in on digital divide as pandemic leaves students without computers
Signals may also be available at other Isle of Wight County facilities, such as:
- Public libraries
- Courthouse complex facilities
- Parks and Recreation buildings
- Fairgrounds
Other locations that may have free Wi-Fi include:
- Fast Food Restaurants (ex. McDonalds, Taco Bell)
- Camp Community College, Smithfield Campus
- Grocery Stores (Kroger, Food Lion)
- Community Electric Cooperative, 52 W. Windsor Blvd., Windsor, Va. 23487
The school district has also created a flyer that identifies the location of the buses and schools, as well as the other options for free Wi-Fi throughout the county mentioned above.
