MACON, Ga. — The start of online learning is right around the corner and Bibb County Schools are making sure students have all the tools they need, including internet access.
This morning, the district began checking out 1,500 mobile WiFi hot spots to households without internet for students to access their online classes.
The district says the event was funded by the 1Million Project Foundation, which provides mobile devices and internet access to students who need internet connectivity.
The day kicked off with long lines and traffic along Riverside Drive that continued into the afternoon.
Parents, Adrian and Ronald Grace, arrived to pick up a hotspot for their high school senior around 9 am but didn't leave with one until 11.
"It's moving a lot better now than it was earlier," Ronald Grace said while waiting. "It was really congested with people all over the place and they didn't really know where to put anybody."
Grace says that, despite the long lines, all the waiting was worth it to make sure his son is prepared to learn from home.
Fellow parent Latoshia Shoultz said that even though the lines were frustrating, it's even more important to get her children access to their classes.
"This is the new normal so you just have to adapt," said Shoultz. "If you're going to need something to help your child with his learning, then it's worth the wait."
School district communications manager Jeremy Timmerman, says that social distancing and working with a smaller team held up the distribution process.
"The parents are going to have questions and you have to explain how the connection works. You're really at the mercy of how many people show up at once," said Timmerman. "You just have to be patient and hope that the line dissipates quickly."
Virtual learning begins in Bibb County on Sept. 8.
At the start of school, the district will also send out 7 WiFi equipped buses to areas with high populations and known internet connectivity issues.
The district plans to increase the number of WiFi buses to 30 as the school year progresses.