After alterations to the school’s wireless internet connections earlier this year, students now have a new Wi-Fi network that supports personal cell phone use.
Students can access the new network–which displays as “myCHCCSconnect”–by installing a profile onto their personal device. Instructions are linked in an email sent to students on October 1.
The network was made so students can contact their parents in places on campus where there is no cellular service.
“The request to add cell phone accommodations was considered due to the numerous areas in buildings where cell phone coverage is limited or does not exist,” Assistant Superintendent of Support Services Patrick Abele wrote in an email. “In times of an emergency, we want students to be able to connect to families when it is safe to do so.”
The new network also allows students who take online courses to have internet access on devices other than the school-issued Chromebooks.
“We did hear from a few student advocates at the last Board of Education meeting that Wi-Fi changes were causing difficulties for a few students taking college classes that required use of different computers,” Chapel Hil-Carrboro City Schools board member Amy Fowler said.
Although most students had figured out how to access the older “CHCCS-Public” network, the network has a much slower connection, as it was intended for only school staff and did not have the bandwidth to support the traffic it received.
“I keep having to rejoin the Wi-Fi, and half the time it doesn’t work,” junior Evan Miles said before the new network was added.
Students who have accessed “myCHCCSconnect” say they like the new addition.
“I do like it better because, once it connects, it stays connected, which is much nicer,” senior Bodhi Harmony said.
Decisions to change the internet networks were made at the district level without input from schools’ technology department.
Instructional Technology Facilitator Kenneth Kingsberry said technology staff at the school first found out about “myCHCCSconnect” when they saw it on the Wi-Fi list on their phones. They did not receive the email that was sent to students about the new internet and were not informed of the recent changes to the Wi-Fi until a day after they were put in place.
According to a member of the Board of Education, the decision to change the Wi-Fi networks at the beginning of the year did not go through the Board of Education.
“The Board of Education did approve a 1:1 computer initiative for the middle and high schools that likely led to these Wi-Fi changes, although the decision to change the Wi-Fi was not made at the board level,” Fowler said.
The district is not required to provide reliable internet for students’ personal devices.
“Understand, with all Wi-Fi networks there is no guarantee that access will be available all the time or in all areas of a district site,” Abele noted. “Student use of any district Wi-Fi network constitutes acceptance of the policies for technology use on a school campus.”
The Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools Technology responsible use policy reads: “The use of school system technological resources, including access to the Internet, is a privilege, not a right.”
