Subcontractors for Luminate Broadband continue to install fiber optic lines hanging below electric lines on power poles in Routt County this week. (Photo by Suzie Romig)
Final funding pieces are falling into place this week to move the installation forward for broadband fiber optic connections to South Routt County by no later than February 2022.
Ciara Bartholomew, South Routt School District business and finance director, said the district received a second $2.9 million grant from the Colorado Department of Education through the Connecting Colorado Students Grant program last week. That doubles the broadband funding awarded to the district through the CDE.
The district received an initial $2.9 million grant through the CDE program in February in order to bring broadband service to homes of district students and staff in Oak Creek, Phippsburg and Yampa. In February, the school district and Luminate Broadband, a subsidiary of Yampa Valley Electric Association, announced a partnersh
Thompson School District Partners With Pulse to Connect Students
School districts across the country made a big decision after the start of the pandemic: school must continue, but virtually in order to keep students and teachers safe. This adversely affected students in areas where connection wasn t possible: either internet wasn t available, or it wasn t reliable.
The Thompson School District noticed this disconnect and vowed to change it. Recently, the district was awarded $737,000 from the Connecting Colorado Students Grant program, which will allow them to partner with Pulse, Loveland s community-owned communications utility.
Their official plan? According to a press release, the Thompson School District and Pulse will: