Wake schools distributing laptops to teachers for online instruction

The Wake County Public School System purchased about 17,000 laptops to replace outdated technology with money from a bond package that local voters approved several years ago. The district began distributing them to schools in January, but when schools closed in mid-March because of the pandemic, officials shifted to a pick-up model to have everyone ready to shift to online instruction.

The district plans to resume instruction on April 6 for year-round students and on April 13 for students on a traditional calendar.

Many parents have been frustrated with the time it has taken to get the program started – students have been out of school since mid-March – but district officials said shifting 160,000 students to online learning has been a massive undertaking.

"We are moving at the speed that we believe that we should be moving," said Marlo Gaddis, chief technology officer for the district. "We are trying to make sure that we are not moving at a speed that we are leaving people behind."

As teachers collect their tools, district officials say they’re also working to make sure students have the technology they need.

York Elementary School teacher Danielle Blinderman said she recognizes that most parents didn't sign up to be teachers, so the shift to schooling at home is naturally frustrating.

"It’s not what we imagined. We are learning together," Blinderman said. "I think it would be normal to feel frustrated right now. It’s normal to feel overwhelmed. But I guess my message would be to give everyone a bit of grace right now, including yourself."

Many teachers said being away from their students is the hardest part of the shift.

"I don’t know a single teacher who is not feeling that aching, of being able to be with the kids," Sams said.