Brownell Happenings

Gilroy, CA-- The Gilroy Unified School District has accepted a donation of 100 Chromebook laptops from Frontier Communications as gifts to South Valley Middle School students to facilitate participation in distance learning.

“We are grateful to Frontier Communications and the California Emerging Technology Fund for the generous donation of 100 Chromebooks,” said Dr. Deborah Padilla, Director of Secondary Education and Curriculum.  “Providing online access to all students in the community has been a challenge; yet the generosity of businesses and agencies such as this helps in reducing the digital divide and supports our entire community. This donation will inspire those receiving this gift to pursue their academic dreams but also to pay this forward when they have the opportunity.”

“Frontier Communications is pleased to join with CETF to provide devices to enable students to connect to the Internet, their teachers and their classrooms to engage in distance learning. We recognize the additional challenges created by the COVID pandemic that are impacting families and the education opportunities of students in high-need school districts,” said Joe Gamble, Senior Vice President for Frontier Communications. “Frontier remains committed to the California communities we serve and is proud to partner in helping Gilroy Unified, 15 other school districts and 350 families living on Tribal Lands adapt to the increased reliance on Internet-based learning.”

Distribution of the devices to parents of South Valley Middle will take place on Wednesday, October 14, beginning at noon, on the SVMS campus. Parents will own the Chromebook and be encouraged to have their children use it to participate in classroom instruction as requested by the school, enable home distance learning and increase parent engagement with the school, district and public services. 

CETF President and CEO Sunne Wright McPeak said the coordinated effort with Frontier and school districts includes following best practices for distributing and managing devices and supporting basic digital literacy training for parents receiving the Chromebooks. “This collaboration will help pivot to the future to effectively incorporate the added technology as a learning tool to enhance distance teaching and learning with deep parent engagement to continue to support academic opportunities,” she added.

Further, although the Chromebooks are being distributed to students in households in Frontier Service Areas, families receiving the devices may choose, but are not required, to sign up for Frontier Fundamental Internet, at $19.99 a month, or another affordable offer. 

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About California Emerging Technology Fund:

The mission of CETF is to close the Digital Divide in California by institutionalizing digital inclusion, including expanding telehealth and distance learning opportunities.  The overall goal is to reach 98% of California residences with broadband infrastructure and to achieve 90% home broadband adoption by 2022.  CETF strives to achieve these goals through public awareness and education, partnerships, grantmaking to community organizations, and advancing public policy. For more information, please visit www.cetfund.org.

About Frontier Communications

Frontier Communications Corporation (OTC: FTRCQ) offers a variety of services to residential and business customers over its fiber-optic and copper networks in 25 states, including video, high-speed internet, advanced voice, and Frontier Secure® digital protection solutions. Frontier Business™ offers communications solutions to small, medium, and enterprise businesses. More information about Frontier is available at www.frontier.com.