Tech investments helped local schools prepare for e-learning

STEVENS POINT, Wis. (October 12, 2020) – During the past 12 years, the Sentry Insurance Foundation donated $15 million to boost technology in public and private school districts in Stevens Point ensuring students are prepared for the future. Because of these investments, when the COVID-19 pandemic forced school systems to move classes online, most students and teachers in Stevens Point already had the tools and training they needed—including equitable access—to continue learning at a high level.

This year alone, Sentry awarded $2.2 million to the Stevens Point School District, Pacelli Catholic Schools, St. Paul Lutheran School, and Stevens Point Christian Academy.

Sentry’s long-term support for area school systems built a solid technology infrastructure, trained faculty, and purchased equipment that allowed students to learn both in the classroom and in a remote environment.

Before the pandemic, the Stevens Point Area Public School District already offered online instruction for all students with dedicated learning management software and video conferencing. It provided all students in every grade a device and gave teachers support and training on digital instruction. In 2019, the district began the year with provisions for virtual snow days, allowing for remote instruction instead of a lost day of school. When the pandemic hit and students were forced to learn from home, the Stevens Point district had the tools, training, and experience it needed to transition smoothly to e-learning.

“Most districts in the state had to rapidly implement what we had already built over the course of the past decade,” said Brian Casey, director of technology for the district. “This would not have been possible without the $15 million from Sentry.”

The foundation’s support in 2020 allowed school districts in Stevens Point to focus their resources on providing 425 internet hotspots to ensure equitable access to remote learning for all.