Press Release from Wellington CDSB: The definition of homework is taking on a new meaning for some bused students at St James Catholic High School (St. James) this semester with the launch of a pilot project that will see several bus routes equipped with wireless internet. In fact, they may be the first students in the province to start calling it “Buswork” rather than course work.

The first project of its kind in Ontario, Wellington Catholic DSB has started a pilot project that will see three buses outfitted with Wi-Fi. The buses transport nearly 100 St. James students daily to and from communities in Wellington county including Arthur, Elora and Mount Forest. Students will have access to Wi-Fi on the bus through a secure network and will follow the same internet usage policies used at school.

Students will have access to a virtual learning environment including Ministry of Education approved digital tools such as Desire2Learn, Google, and Homework Help. Appropriate staff
at St. James will be trained and coached how to incorporate these tools into their existing curriculum.

“The board is always exploring new and innovative ways to make learning easier and more accessible for our students,” said Tamara Nugent, Director of Education. “This project is a natural fit for students at St. James, many of whom, spend a fair amount of time commuting to and from school. Wi-Fi on their buses will allow students to access these digital tools and encourage them to use travel time to engage in innovative learning.”

This project is made possible through the collaboration with several business partners including: Service de transport de Wellington-Dufferin Student Transportation Services, Colony Networks Inc., Georef Systems Ltd and Telus.

The pilot project will be evaluated throughout the semester and will include feedback from students and staff.

The Wellington Catholic District School Board is committed to supporting student success in all of our 22 schools. Our academic and extracurricular programs give our 7800 students the opportunity to learn, lead and serve. Grounded in faith based teaching, our schools are preparing students with the values and academic skills they need to be successful 21st century citizens.

For more information, please contact:
Tamara Nugent, Director of Education | 519.821.4640 x214
tamara.nugent@wellingtoncdsb.ca | @TamaraLNugent