WOODSFIELD – The local school district of Ohio Switzerland continues its work to better connect students and the community with reliable broadband service through its Appalachian Regional Commission project.

Earlier this year, the district received a $ 400,000 grant through the Appalachian Regional Commission to design and build reliable Internet service in areas lacking in Monroe County.

Tess Hill, technology coordinator at SOLSD, said she performed an online speed test where residents were asked to take the test in their homes to find out which areas need better service the most and where it would be best. to build any towers or signal extensions. .

Hill met with the education council last week to approve the areas they believed would be best served by installing the units. She said they have eliminated some areas where other entities have secured funding for similar projects in order to restrict selection.

“The Monroe County Port Authority is targeting Hannibal; MCTV targets densely populated areas like Woodsfield, Clairington and up to Powhatan, Beallsville. Our intention is to place these WiFi internet units in areas that will not be duplicated ”, she said.

Project organizers narrowed the target areas to Stafford, Sardis, Lewisville and the area between Hannibal and Clarington, and Beallsville and Cameron.

“We plan to place at least five units”, she said, adding that they were working with the Southeast Broadband Cooperative on the design of the project.

The objective of the project is to improve Internet access for nearly 400 students in the neighborhood, around 200 homes and many local businesses. Hill said they were about a year into what is said to be a three-year project schedule.

“We are in the design phase and we are preparing to enter the actual construction phase” she added.

The next stage of the project is to move on to the tendering process for the equipment and for the supplier service. Hill said they hoped the project would bid in February or March.

In other areas, the board has approved the purchase of an Apex agent training simulator for $ 62,500 for the Swiss Hill Career Center criminal justice program.

The virtual reality simulator will provide students “Practical exercises based on scenarios”. According to Govred Technology, the program helps increase interns’ knowledge, skills and confidence in a safe and highly interactive environment.

The Board of Directors will then meet at 6 p.m. on January 6 at Swiss Hills, located at 46601 Ohio 78 in Woodsfield.