MADISON – Madison Metropolitan School District (MMSD) is teaming with United Parcel Service (UPS) to safely distribute much needed digital devices to students for their virtual learning needs.
“Our focus from the start of this crisis has been the safety and well-being of our students, families and staff and we believe this to be the safest alternative to getting these important devices into our student’s hands.” said Jane Belmore, MMSD Interim Superintendent, in a statement. “We are so very grateful for the love and support the district has received from the community, and to UPS for stepping in to lend a helping hand, they are wonderful neighbors and caring members of our community.”
To make this happen, UPS is providing significantly reduced pricing to MMSD for boxes, packaging materials, insurance, and verified delivery, according to a news release from MMSD, and the devices are an important component for students as MMSD transitions to Virtual Learning set to launch April 6.
MMSD has struggled over the last couple weeks to develop a safe plan for distribution of the devices, as public health guidelines and orders from Gov. Tony Ever’s office have forced the district to abandon previous on-site distribution plans in order to adhere to rapidly expanding social distancing directives.
“Our school community had a very clear need and challenge before us, and it is heartwarming to know that UPS with its ability to provide for that need, recognized they could help and did,” Belmore said in a press release.
In preparation, over the next couple of days, the district will be verifying mailing addresses for families who indicated they need a device to ensure delivery accuracy, as some addresses may be different from a typical household address. Additionally, MMSD is working with the City of Madison to identify school-age children who may be residing with their families at area hotels to ensure these students have the resources they need to continue learning. This involves working with elearning developer to ensure students have the right tools for online learning.
