A $14,000.00 grant of outdoor wireless equipment from Aruba Networks, the supplier of the wi-fi networks for Ashdown Public Schools, has been awarded to the school district.
These outdoor kits will ensure that Ashdown High School and Ashdown Junior High School students, who do not have adequate access to the internet at home, can use the school’s wi-fi, from the parking lot. Both the grant and the access are free.
Ashdown Schools Superintendent Casey Nichols said,
We are so fortunate to have received this equipment from Aruba Networks, we value our partnership with them and their commitment to Ashdown Public Schools. And, I am so appreciative of our Technology Department for their expertise and time to bring this project to completion.
The school district’s Technology Department and Aruba Networks engineers collaborated on the installation.
David Billingsley, who is the Ashdown Schools Technology Coordinator added,
I’m excited to add this outdoor WIFi access for our students to use during this unprecedented time. Those needing to use the new system will use the cloud guest network and be required to register with a valid email address or phone number that is able to receive SMS text for verification.
The new internet access points include: the high school front parking lot, high school student parking lot, and the high school bus drive. At AJHS, they are located in the cafeteria parking lot, front parking lot, and bus drive. The normal school internet filtering will continue through these access points, so activity can be monitored and tracked.
For more information, contact Ronda Pounds, Ashdown School District’s Public Information Coordinator,