Contributed DISTANCE LEARNING — Ron Peach, technology coordinate at the Jefferson County Joint Vocational School, right, and criminal justice instructor Jamie Freeman show off newly installed technology in her program lab.

BLOOMINGDALE — The Jefferson County Joint Vocational School is updating technology throughout its facilities for distance learning and modern educational instruction.

Technology Coordinator Ron Peach said installation was underway at the site in Bloomingdale, which will be equipped with interactive television screens and other technology for networking. Earlier this year, the school received $854,842 under the Fiscal Year 2023 Distance Learning and Telemedicine Grant Program that is administered through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Utilities Service. The JVS provided a 15 percent match–or roughly $156,800–for a total of $1,011,647.

The grant will connect the JVS to other educational institutions and offer high-tech supports for networking. Peach said classrooms and labs can connect to other schools and universities and similar capabilities will be available in the cafeteria and training room.

“We’ve had the equipment for about two or three months and began installing over Easter break,” he added. “The whole purpose is so we can do outreach with other schools and have guest speaker who aren’t even onsite.”

The commons area now features two large screens and two laser projectors as well as cameras, microphones and speakers for online interaction. The system is controlled by a touchscreen panel in the room and the equipment can be used for other events such as school assemblies and senior recognition ceremonies. Peach added that classrooms and labs will also have interactive screens for educational use.

“The culinary arts program partnered with West Virginia Northern Community College’s culinary arts program and will have a guest chef speaking to students while criminal justice will partner with the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department. Cosmetology is partnered with Salon Centric and health technologies will be partnered with St. Louis University School of Medicine,” he continued. “The sheriff’s department and partner schools will get equipment for remote learning while St. Louis University has its own.”

Peach said the installations will continue during summer break and each classroom can take part in distance learning in addition to in-class lessons. The criminal justice classroom already has been outfitted with two 99-inch touchscreen televisions and six speakers and instructor Jamie Freeman plans to take full advantage of the technology to prepare her students for the workforce.

“It’s pretty cool and actually very easy to use,” said Freeman. “The kids really seem to like it.”

The goal is to enhance instruction for students in all academic and vocational programs, from core subjects to the JVS’s 16 hands-on courses: animal science management, auto body collision, auto service technology, carpentry, computer network technologies, cosmetology, criminal justice, culinary arts, early childhood education, electrical trades, health technologies, heavy equipment operator, multimedia and design, power mechanics, Transition To Work and welding.