By Eric Stock

BLOOMINGTON – District 87 officials hope they are bridging the digital divide by equipping each student in grades six 6 through 12 with a take-home laptop computer.

“Handing those out at the high school as I watched and ninth graders came in for the first-time to get those after having the bulky IBM think pads – which we were very appreciative and worked very well – they lighted up,” Superintendent Barry Reilly said. “They were very excited to get those.”

PODCAST: Listen to Scott’s interview with Reilly on WJBC.

Reilly told WJBC’s Scott Laughlin the computers are intended to help students get better access to information so they can perform better in the classroom, but he said there’s a benefit for parents too.

“It also provides an opportunities for parents, especially those who might not have a device at home to monitor their kids better than they have before, access the student management system where they can see grades and attendance,” Reilly said.

The district is paying for home internet service for about 500 low-income families and plans to take the refurbished laptops that the junior high had been using and set them up for students in grades 3 through 5 for use in the classroom.

The cost of the technology initiative topped $500,000.

Eric Stock can be reached at [email protected].