Northampton Schools receive $842,304 USDA Grant to expand virtual learning and student services

Pictured from left to right: Northampton Schools Superintendent Lisa Martin, Northampton School Technology Director A.J. Ward, Virginia USDA Rural Development State Director Beth Green, Bobbie Jo Wert and Kerry Crowley.

Northampton County Public Schools celebrated an $842,304 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Distance Learning and Telemedicine (DLT) Program Wednesday morning, funding a major technology initiative designed to expand educational opportunities, student support services, and professional development across the division.

The announcement was made during a ceremony attended by federal, state, and local officials, school board members, county leaders, and community stakeholders.

Speaking at the event, Virginia USDA Rural Development State Director Beth Green said the highly competitive grant program helps rural communities overcome geographic barriers through telecommunications technology.

“The purpose of this grant is to help rural communities overcome geographic isolation by using telecommunications technology to improve access to education and healthcare,” Green said. “This is one of the clearest examples of how Rural Development delivers on its mission to build strong and resilient communities where all Virginians can thrive.”

According to USDA officials, the project is expected to benefit approximately 1,520 residents, including 1,270 students and 250 faculty and staff members.

Northampton County Public Schools Superintendent Lisa Martin said the grant addresses one of the greatest challenges facing rural school divisions: geography.

“When you lead a rural school division, the biggest hurdle is not a lack of talent or ability. It’s geography,” Martin said. “Living here on the Eastern Shore, we know that just across the bay opportunities are readily available to students and families. This grant is going to change that narrative.”

Martin said the funding will help remove barriers to advanced coursework, teacher training, mental health services, speech therapy, and other resources that can be difficult for Shore families to access due to travel constraints. As an example, Northampton Schools have been attempting to hire a speech therapist for over two years and weren’t able to find any candidates who would accept the position.

“This isn’t just an investment in hardware,” she said. “It’s an investment in opportunity and human connection for our families, our students, and our community.”

Technology Director A.J. Ward outlined plans for the three-year project, which will create a division-wide connected learning environment spanning 44 locations, including all Northampton schools and the Eastern Shore Regional Technical and Career Center.

The initiative includes deployment of 96 interactive ViewSonic systems equipped with high-definition video conferencing capabilities.

Ward said the technology will transform classrooms from one-way instructional spaces into two-way learning gateways.

Among the anticipated benefits are expanded access to dual-enrollment and specialized courses, virtual speech and psychological services, enhanced professional development for teachers, music masterclasses with industry experts, and virtual field trips for younger students.

“A high school student can take a specialized dual-enrollment college course without ever leaving campus,” Ward said. “A student can meet virtually with a speech pathologist or school psychologist during the school day, saving parents from having to miss work or travel across the bay.”

Northampton County Administrator Matt Spuck praised the project’s long-term potential, both educationally and economically.

He noted that Northampton’s rural character, with approximately 85 percent of its land devoted to agriculture and conservation, limits opportunities for large-scale industrial growth. Developing a technologically skilled workforce, he said, is critical to attracting future employers.

“Other companies aren’t going to come here unless there’s a good reason to,”  he said. “An employment workforce with strong technological skills would drive that.”

Implementation of the project will begin in the coming months as the division works to expand educational access and support services for students throughout Northampton County.