Bokoshe Public Schools Create Opportunities for Students’ Talents to Shine

Bokoshe Public Schools has a strong sense of community. In this small, rural Oklahoma town, everyone knows each other. School leadership strives to build a powerful camaraderie and support students and staff in any way they can.

Bokoshe is located in Le Flore County, near the Arkansas border. Bokoshe is a Choctaw word meaning “little creek.” Bokoshe has 396 residents, and the school serves 147 students, attending their elementary and high schools.

Importance of Community

The administration and teachers at Bokoshe Public Schools strongly believe that every child living in their community deserves to have an education, meals provided at school, a sense of support, and the opportunity to shine through their talents and interests.

The schools provide programs and activities such as LabRats, FCCLA (Family, Career, Community Leaders of America), National Honors Society, Scholastic Team, and an active student council. Having the resources to support these activities for students is vital, so students can gain the experiences they need to prepare them for their pursuits after graduation.

Technology Tools

In a small town like Bokoshe, internet service keeps students and teachers connected and up-to-speed with the rest of the world. Education accessibility is a priority for school leadership. Students and teachers should be able to count on reliable connectivity to support their educational initiatives.

Throughout the pandemic, the demand for fast and reliable internet connection grew more than ever. With OneNet’s help, Bokoshe Public Schools had the bandwidth to offer new opportunities, such as virtual field trips for their students.

Today, Bokoshe has a 1-1 ratio of available Chromebooks for students attending classes from home or completing assignments outside the classroom. The school also has Wi-Fi in all of its facilities and around the school.

While the school is well-equipped, there are challenges.

“Bokoshe School’s main challenge is connectivity for students living in remote area of the county,” said Royce Bell, Tech Director/Federal Programs for Bokoshe Public Schools. “The other challenge is technology funds for upgrades.”

Despite these ongoing needs, the school works to offer high-quality technology and tools, such as interactive Smart Boards in the classroom to enhance learning.

Rural Internet Connectivity

OneNet has provided connectivity for Bokoshe Public Schools since 1997, and Bell has appreciated the partnership between the school and OneNet. Bell has worked at Bokoshe for eight years and previously served as tech director at McCurtain Public Schools for 16 years.

“I have used OneNet as service provider for the past 26+ years and would not change anything!” Bell said.

The internet services OneNet provides the school are funded through the federal E-Rate program, which provides funding for internet and other technology for schools and libraries.

“OneNet, along with E-Rate funding, has provided schools in our rural area with connectivity equal to that of any metropolitan area in the state,” Bell said. “Through OneNet’s outstanding service and E-Rate funding, our school has met most, if not all, of our educational goals for our students.”

Recently, with the help of OneNet, the school upgraded from 200 MB to 500 MB, which will make their connectivity substantially faster. The upgraded connectivity will enable students to travel the internet quicker and avoid lagging while utilizing their laptops. The school also takes advantage of OneNet’s web hosting service to support its website.

Partnering with OneNet

While Bell appreciates the quality of OneNet’s internet service, she is quick to contact OneNet with any problem.

“The first thing I do is call one of the technicians at OneNet, report the problem, answer a couple of questions and they take it from there,” Bell said. “OneNet technicians keep me updated on the status of the problem. To me, that service is invaluable!”

Brian Burkhart, OneNet’s chief technology officer, said OneNet’s leadership team is attentive to the rural schools it serves throughout the state—regardless of the size of the school’s student population.

“OneNet recognizes and values the importance of digital equity to our state’s schools in rural communities like Bokoshe,” Burkhart said. “We appreciate the dedication that school leadership, such as Superintendent Bill Deleplank and Ms. Bell, provide to our state’s students. We look forward to supporting Bokoshe Public Schools through their journey and future endeavors.”

Both Superintendent Deleplank and Bell hopes to continue working with OneNet as well.

“What I have learned during my years working with technology is that when you find a reliable, trusted, and dependable source, you don’t change!” Bell said. “OneNet is one of those trusted, reliable and dependable providers that makes my life much easier.”