For school districts in the Santa Cruz Mountains, having reliable internet and power can be a challenge. Winter storms, downed power lines and rural locations have long disrupted connectivity, sometimes forcing schools to close, interrupting learning for students, and creating a barrier for community outreach in times of crisis.
“In a small mountain school district like ours, reliable technology and uninterrupted connectivity are essential for teaching, learning, communication, and student safety,” said Lakeside Joint School District Superintendent/Principal Steve Burrell in a release.
Through a digital equity effort led by the Santa Clara County Office of Education (SCCOE), two small mountain school districts now have the infrastructure they need to stay connected no matter the weather conditions. Funded through a federal grant by the office of former Congresswoman Anna Eshoo, the Digital Equity Project brought upgraded systems and resilient power solutions to Lakeside Joint School District and Loma Prieta Joint Union School District, where continuity of learning often depends on reliable technology.
In both districts, the SCCOE worked alongside school leaders and technical partners to assess needs and implement long-term solutions. The work included full network upgrades, including replacing routers, switches and wireless access points, District officials said. Wi-Fi access was expanded to outdoor spaces to better serve students, staff and families across campus. New generators and backup systems were installed to ensure schools can remain open during power outages, a common occurrence in the area. These systems keep internet connectivity running and classrooms open during prolonged interruptions.
“The partnership with the Santa Clara County Office of Education through the Digital Equity Project has had a tremendously positive impact on Lakeside School,” Burrell said in the release. “The successful completion of both the generator project and our full network refresh has provided infrastructure and connectivity that now meets our operational and instructional needs.”
The SCCOE’s role in the Digital Equity Project was to help secure funding, coordinate planning, design, and implementation. This demonstrates the SCCOE’s commitment to easing operational burdens so districts can stay focused on students.
Previously, outages kept students off campus for extended periods.
“While the completed project can go unnoticed by anyone who would arrive on campus to see a building or a structure, it is equally (if not more) important to today’s school districts to have a relevant, upgraded IT infrastructure that is capable of keeping pace with the evolution of technology aimed to support our students,” said Loma Prieta Joint Union School District Superintendent Dr. Kevin Grier in the news release.
