Winners Announced for Internet2 Community Anchor Program’s 2022 Distance Learning Scholarship

Congratulations Connecticut Teachers!

Connecticut Teacher Brings Wonder to Weather with CAP Distance Learning Scholarship

Sixth graders at Thompson Middle School in Connecticut were amazed that the weather in their hometown was warmer than in Texas where their presenter was logging in. Examining why Texas would be colder than Connecticut in the middle of March acted as the spark and guiding force for students as they worked with Don Harrington from the Discovery Center in Amarillo, Texas to learn how and why weather is created.

As a recipient of the Internet2 Community Anchor Program Distance Learning Scholarship and through her school’s connection to the Connecticut Education Network (CEN), Louise Morrison, a veteran teacher of 21 years, was able to bring her Weather Unit to life in a unique way with a live, interactive, edu-tainment program offered through the Center for Interactive Learning and Collaboration (CILC).

The Virtual Science Live! Weather Wonders Program from the Discovery Center used dynamic demonstrations and experiments to illustrate the different conditions that are necessary to create clouds, precipitation, lightning, thunder, tornadoes, and other weather phenomena. For example, one of the experiments allowed students to explore the various atmospheric elements and how they combine by making snow.

Morrison shares that the live experiments were incredibly exciting for her students: “My students were completely engaged for the entire program and continued to talk about the experiments for several days afterwards.” Emphasizing the value of students reviewing key content with an expert, she explains, “I was able to enhance my students’ learning through this program. It not only allowed my students to meet and learn from a female scientist but also hear the key points of weather from an expert perspective.” With all the content aligned to National Next Generation Science Standards standards, the program fit “perfectly” into their unit on weather science.

As a recipient of CAP’s Distance Learning Scholarship, Morrison was able to utilize her school’s connection to the Connecticut Education Network (CEN) to participate in the program free of cost. “I would absolutely recommend CILC to other teachers. The experience was great for my students, they were able to see experiments that we wouldn’t be able to do in our classroom. It was an opportunity that they would not have been able to experience any other way.”

Offered annually, the Internet2 Community Anchor Program’s scholarship program supported 38 K-12 teachers in seven states to implement free, one-on-one distance learning programs for their class through the Center for Interactive Learning and Collaboration (CILC). All recipients connect to the Internet2 network via their state or regional research and education network, which provides the robust internet connection needed for live, interactive virtual programs.

About Connecticut Education Network (CEN):

The CEN was established in 2000 with an important mission: ensure that students across the state have access to great technology and content on a network that will grow with them. CEN provides advanced Internet and network solutions that are faster and more reliable than any other provider. Since 2001, CEN has operated and managed a 2500 route mile, all optical, high performance, low latency network.

Students at Thompson Middle School in Connecticut are able to experience their weather unit in a unique way with a live, interactive, edu-tainment program offered through the Center for Interactive Learning and Collaboration (CILC).

In February 2016, the CT State Library established a statewide buying consortium so that all principal public libraries and their branches in the state could use one RFP for the purchase of fiber. Efficient broadband capacity is extremely important in terms of accessibility. As opposed to other technologies like DSL or a cable modem, a fiber connection offers almost unlimited capacity, making it the technology of choice for this project.

Norwich Public Utilities to Install Free Public Internet Hot Spots in City Neighborhoods

CEN Partners with Members to Offer Free High-Speed Public Wi-Fi Access

Norwich — In spring of 2020, city and school leaders scrambled to provide internet access with individual so-call hot spots for homes and apartments for families in need and a few scattered larger units at public sites.

The city’s network of free internet access is about to get much broader.

Norwich Public Utilities officials this week unveiled a plan in partnership with the Connecticut Education Network to bring free high-speed, high-capacity public Wi-Fi to more than a dozen locations in the city. Many will be placed in densely populated neighborhoods identified by school officials as high need areas. Others will be at or near public buildings or parks, where residents and students could go to connect and download school assignments or submit completed schoolwork.

John Covey, information technology manager for NPU, said the project is being spearheaded by CEN in 107 cities and towns across the state to provide high-speed devices at no cost to the community for one year. In Norwich, the devices will be turned over to NPU after that period, and NPU will continue the free service, Covey said.

These are not in-home Wi-Fi hotspots or routers, Covey said. He compared the difference as a kitchen faucet for the home device to a fire hydrant for the public devices, which are about the size of a laptop with antenna attached. Each one is powerful enough to serve about two urban blocks and about 100 connections at a time.

NPU initially received eight devices from the state, and CEN provided five additional units at no cost.

Locations had to be chosen along the NPU’s current fiber optic network, which was installed to serve NPU, city government buildings and city schools.

The 13 sites include several locations downtown and in Greeneville, including Boswell Avenue-Hickory Street, Central Avenue-North Main Street, 12th Street-Central Avenue, Boswell Avenue-North Main Street, Lake Street-Boswell Avenue and the NPU headquarters and customer service center in Greeneville.

Units will be placed at the Howard T. Brown Memorial Park at Norwich Harbor, at City Hall, the Rose City Senior Center, police department and Otis Library. The device at Otis Library is installed already, Covey said.

Covey projected installations will begin in mid-July and will be in place by the start of next school year.

The devices alone cost about $5,000 each, but installation could run as high as $10,000 to $15,000 per site, depending on the amount of infrastructure is needed. NPU will cut the cost by using only areas already along the utility’s fiber optic network and where infrastructure exists to hang the devices — such as on existing poles or public buildings or where the city already has public security cameras. NPU line crews will do the installations on their regular work time, NPU officials said.

“This is a terrific service we are going to be able to provide for a big chunk of the community,” NPU spokesman Chris Riley said. “A no-cost service NPU will be able to provide to the community.”

Norwich Human Services Director Lee Ann Gomes, who worked last spring to secure in-home internet connections and devices throughout the city when the pandemic hit, welcomed the project.

“The pandemic showed how divided we are as a community, with people with and without internet access,” Gomes said. “People couldn’t apply for unemployment or even order toilet paper. People were going to parking lots to hook up to Wi-Fi.”

The new Wi-Fi devices will offer two connection choices. The CT Public access will be a “one-click” connection. The second connection, Eduroam, will allow students to use their authorized passwords to sign into their specific schools to download their assignments, submit classwork or interact with their schools.

The Wi-Fi devices will have filters to prohibit access to pornography, gambling sites or the purchase of alcohol or drugs. But everyday shopping will be allowed, Covey said.

NFA spokesman Michael O’Farrell said the school provided data to NPU on where dense populations of students in need of the service live in Norwich. NPU correlated that information with the nearest available infrastructure to hang the devices.

If students do not live in those immediate neighborhoods, they can drive or ride bicycles to the area, sign in and download assignments or submit completed work. NFA has a similar device for school and staff only on the Tirrell Building on campus.

“We’re trying to have an effective system,” O’Farrell said. “In terms of access and breaking down barriers, it’s a tool and a significant tool to do that.”

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This information was published in The Day, By Claire Bessette

Free internet access in New London closer to a reality

CEN Partners with Members to Offer Free High-Speed Public Wi-Fi Access

New London — The city is working to finalize a project to extend free internet access to hundreds of New London homes, targeting those without the means to afford access on their own.

Mayor Michael Passero outlined those plans during a news conference Tuesday with Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz, who visited the city to promote Gov. Ned Lamont’s House Bill 6442, An Act Concerning Equitable Access to Broadband.

New London’s own plan involves a partnership with the Connecticut Education Network to use the schools and city-owned buildings to broadcast Wi-Fi hot spots and reach nearby homes.

Initially, the plan will include installation of transmitters to cover a two- to three-block radius around city schools as well as the densely populated Huntington Tower and Winthrop Square apartment complexes. The first phase may reach a portion of the Mohican Apartments on State Street.

Residents in covered areas will have free internet access with certain restrictions, such as limitations on streaming and gaming. The plan has been months in the making and would be expanded to other parts of the city as funding allows. The city is expecting aid from the Dalio Foundation for a portion of the infrastructure work and Passero said he would look for a way to use federal pandemic funds.

Rick Genovese, New London’s director of IT services, has led the technical side of the city’s effort. He said the kickoff was just months away.

“This project has potential to change lives for the better in the city of New London,” Genovese said.

In a matter of months … residents will have access to telehealth, online schooling and telecommuting. These are all essential services that are desperately needed.”

He said it’s been a labor of love for himself, Human Services Director Jeanne Milstein and Passero.

“I think it shows the city really cares for its residents,” Genovese said.

Similar projects are run in cities such as New Haven and Hartford.

Bysiewicz said disparities exist throughout the state when it comes to high-speed internet access — 20% of white families lack access compared to 35% of Latino and 34% of Black families.

House Bill 6442, she said, ultimately would provide universal access to high-speed internet, help to map areas of the state in need of access and provide for lower-cost access in underserved areas. Passage of the bill also would lay a foundation to access funds from proposals by President Joe Biden’s administration to provide internet access to underserved areas of the country.

In New London, it is estimated that 90% of seniors do not have broadband internet access, along with a high percentage of school-aged children.

“For this past year we’ve been living in a digital world. For many of us, the internet has been a critical lifeline,” Bysiewicz said. “For others, the lack of internet has led to missed opportunities for telehealth appointments, missed schoolwork and lack of immediate access for scheduling vaccine appointments.”

Milstein said the city has stepped in with its humanitarian helpline to find people who need help scheduling health and vaccine appointments, especially the elderly, disabled and those who do not speak English. The city has been using senior center buses to help residents with transportation needs.

The city’s long-term pandemic recovery team also has developed a hybrid learning pod program, partnering with local organizations to provide spaces for students to access to remote classwork and work on off days.

Reona Dyess, executive director of the Drop-in Learning Center, said she deals with families who have internet access but not enough bandwidth to prevent students from getting kicked off.

City Councilor Curtis Goodwin, who works from home, said he took several nieces into his home to help provide internet access but even his internet service was not adequate to handle their schoolwork.

With few options, Goodwin said getting better access meant infrastructure work at his complex.

“Just imagine how many other people aren’t fortunate enough to have funds to pay for that,” he said. “They’re struggling right now.”

State Rep. Anthony Nolan said the problem is widespread, hitting low-income and Black and brown communities hard, a problem he called “ridiculous” in this day and age. He promised to press hard to help ensure the governor’s legislation gets attention in Hartford.

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Connecticut School Districts Are Above the National Average When It Comes to School Internet Connectivity

CT Ranks Above National Average for School Internet Connectivity Provided By CEN

49% OF CONNECTICUT SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE AT 1 MBPS PER STUDENT

Hartford, Connecticut (March 24, 2021) – Connecticut school districts are doing better than much of the country when it comes to having the school internet connectivity needed for digital learning, according to data published by nonprofit Connected Nation through its Connect K-12 website.

“In Connecticut, we have taken on digital equity as the Brown v. Board of Education of our time,” said Gov. Ned Lamont. “Whether it is connecting students at home through our Everybody Learns initiative or providing virtually limitless broadband to schools through the flagship Connecticut Education Network, we are working to ensure all students have an equal opportunity for digital learning, in every home and classroom, every day.”

An overview of the state’s school district connectivity report can be found here: https://connectk12.org/states/CT. It tracks the progress Connecticut schools have made over the last four years in reaching the federally-recommended goal of 1 Mbps per student—a goal set by the Federal Communications Commission.

Right now, 49% of Connecticut school districts are meeting or exceeding that goal. Whereas only 47% of school districts nationwide are doing the same.

“The progress Connecticut school districts have made over the last four years is incredible. They’ve made the leap from 32% of school districts to nearly half meeting the recommendation,” said Emily Jordan, Vice President for Connect K-12. “That has been possible through a robust state network (the Connecticut Education Network) that provides safe, scalable internet connections in a cooperative model that has kept pricing level even as consumption has increased. State and school district leaders have taken proactive steps to ensure that more Connecticut school buildings have the internet connectivity needed to ensure teachers and students have the resources for digital learning. We applaud the schools for leveraging their federal E-rate dollars to do more for K-12 education in the state.”

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Seymour Offers Two Public WiFi Spots

CEN Partners with Members to Offer Free High-Speed Public Wi-Fi Access

SEYMOUR — The Town of Seymour IT Department, working in conjunction with the First Selectwoman’s Office as well as the Seymour Emergency Management Team, is pleased to announce the availability of two free public WiFi hotspots.

These hotspots are located in the parking lots of the Seymour Public Library (46 Church St) and Seymour Community Center (70 Pine St.).

The town is able to offer this through the Connecticut Education Network through Gov. Ned Lamont’s “Everybody Learns Initiative,” and it is open to the general public.

This program is being provided at no cost to local tax payers.

“At a time when connectivity is so important we could not be more excited to offer this to the residents of Seymour,” First Selectwoman Annmarie Drugonis said.

The information is from the First Selectwoman’s Office.

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Connecticut Education Network bringing free, high-speed public Wi-Fi to Middletown

CEN Partners with Members to Offer Free High-Speed Public Wi-Fi Access

MIDDLETOWN — When pretty much everything goes online, pretty much everyone needs to be able to get online.

The public soon will gain access to a reliable Wi-Fi network free of charge in two areas of the city, as part of a state-funded program aimed at municipalities with high numbers of unconnected households.

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