CARES Funds Cover New Computers

Weakley County Schools purchased more than 1,300 laptops with CARES Act funding. School technicians (Fron to Back, L to R) Troy Jones, Jordan Howell, David Fowler, Kris Bowdell and Anthony Stewart completed preparing the equipment for use in schools.

WEAKLEY COUNTY (October 29) - More than 1,300 laptop computers are loaded with appropriate software and ready to be distributed to Weakley County Schools and students in need.

Received in mid-October, the Lenova Yoga 11E laptops now include Office 365, as well as testing and tracking software. The technicians for the district, along with computer-savvy students, spent nine days preparing the computers for use in the schools and updating the operating systems.

The computers were purchased with monies from the Elementary and Secondary Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER) set aside by Congress in response to the pandemic. Approximately $13.2 billion of the $30.75 billion allotted to the Education Stabilization Fund through the CARES Act focused on ESSER.

The school district was allocated $939,000 based on enrollment. Betsi Foster, WCS Director of Federal Programs, oversaw the extensive application process. The funds cover the computer purchases, as well as the salaries for faculty and staff who have taken on additional responsibilities due to COVID-19 precautions.

Weakley County Schools technicians – Troy Jones, Jordan Howell, David Fowler, Kris Bowdell and Anthony Stewart – were assisted by students Elijah Young of Gleason and Tanner Scronce and Mark Maddox II from Dresden High School.