A Conversation With Ms. Lambert: The Wi-Fi Committee

Here at Kenmore West, Assistant Principal Ms. Kelly Lambert leads meetings with a small group of students called the Wi-Fi Committee. She created the committee in response to student and staff feedback about inconsistent Wi-Fi access at different times and spaces in the building. I serve on this committee, and through conversations with others, we realized that many individuals throughout the school community are having these issues and it's important to show how we are working to address them. We figured that an interview with Ms. Lambert would be a great opportunity to update our school community on where we currently are. This is the conversation that I had with Ms. Lambert surrounding the Wi-Fi Committee and what she feels are the key takeaways from it. 

(The following interview has been edited for length and clarity.)

DiGiulio: Hi, Ms. Lambert! Thanks so much for sitting down with me. I’ve been hearing a lot about the Wi-Fi committee, and I’m super curious what made you want to start it?

Lambert: Of course, Dominic! I’m happy to talk about it. Over the past year and a half, I’ve been focused on improving the cafeteria experience. I want it to be a space where students can relax, enjoy lunch, and hang out with friends. That includes being able to use personal devices. With the new cell phone policy, where phones aren’t allowed in classrooms but are allowed in the hallways and cafeteria, it’s really important that the Wi-Fi works well in those areas. If that’s the designated time and place for students to use their phones, we need to make sure the network is reliable and accessible.

DiGiulio: I know the cafeteria is one of the only places we can just catch up on social media or text friends during the day. It’s so frustrating when you can’t even load a post or send a message.

Lambert: Exactly. I’ve been hearing similar complaints from students that the Wi-Fi in the cafeteria isn’t consistent. I wanted to create this committee to dig deeper into the issue. We need to figure out when the problems happen and why.

DiGiulio: What are the biggest complaints you’ve heard so far? Like, are there specific apps people can’t use?

Lambert: We’re not entirely sure about all the issues yet, which is why we’re conducting a survey to get direct student and staff feedback. When too many people try to connect to the network at once, it might not have the capacity to handle the traffic of an entire lunch period. We suspect that many students are trying to use social media apps, which could be part of the issue. Another factor could be that some sites and apps are blocked on the school’s Wi-Fi. If that’s the case, students may switch to 5G, but even that can get overloaded if too many people are using it in one area. We have also heard of issues loading eHallpass, which is used extensively throughout the school.

DiGiulio: Oh yeah, I’ve noticed that with 5G too. Sometimes it’s even slower than the Wi-Fi when there’s a crowd. Are you guys looking into specific spots in the cafeteria where it’s worse?

Lambert: Absolutely. We want to figure out if the issue is happening in certain parts of the cafeteria, like near the boosters we already have in place, or if it’s the whole space. We’re also looking at other locations in the school, like hallways or classrooms. Once we gather all that data, we can share it with the IT department to help them troubleshoot and find solutions.

DiGiulio: Do you think the school might unblock certain apps? I know a lot of students would love to use social media during lunch.

Lambert: That’s a really good question. Honestly, I don’t know yet. The list of blocked apps might have been decided by our IT department, or it could be part of regional or federal policies tied to funding. For example, some programs offer discounted internet services to schools, but only if we comply with specific content restrictions in order to provide safe internet access to students. It’s something we’ll have to explore further.

DiGiulio: That’s interesting! I didn’t even realize some apps were blocked until recently.

Lambert: Right, and that’s part of the challenge. Not everyone uses the same apps or experiences the same issues, so gathering diverse feedback is key. This way, we can ensure we’re addressing the biggest concerns for the majority of students.

DiGiulio: I know a lot of my classmates rely on their Chromebooks during the school day, and if the Wi-Fi isn’t working, it throws off the whole lesson. Has the committee talked about how the Wi-Fi impacts learning?

Lambert: Definitely. Reliable Wi-Fi is critical, especially since so much of our learning now happens online. Between Canvas, online textbooks, and digital hall passes, we need a system that works smoothly.

DiGiulio: Oh, for sure. I’ve had classes where the Wi-Fi was so slow that we couldn’t even load the site we needed for the assignment or an e-hall pass. It’s super frustrating for both students and teachers.

Lambert: Exactly. And it’s not just a student issue it affects staff too. For example, the admin team relies on text messages to communicate, and if those don’t go through, it can cause delays.

DiGiulio: Yeah, it definitely needs to be addressed not just for convenience, but also for safety. So how often does the Wi-Fi committee meet?

Lambert: So far, we’ve had a few meetings to brainstorm survey questions and plan how to collect feedback. It’s still in the early stages, but the goal is to make sure we hear from as many students as possible.

DiGiulio: That’s great. Have you personally run into any Wi-Fi issues?

Lambert: I have, but not as often as students, since I’m not in the cafeteria or classrooms all day. However, I’ve noticed delays in sending text messages, which is frustrating when we’re trying to communicate quickly.

DiGiulio: It’s crazy how much we rely on technology now. Do you think this project is helping students see how important Wi-Fi is beyond just using their phones?

Lambert: I hope so. Wi-Fi isn’t just a convenience—it’s essential for learning and communication. This project is also a great way for students to learn about problem-solving and how systems like IT work behind the scenes.

DiGiulio: I think it’s so cool that this is a collaborative project between administration and students.

Lambert: That’s exactly why this committee is so important. Students like you can create a space where your peers feel comfortable sharing feedback. You also have insights into apps and tools that adults might not fully understand. This is really a project by the students, for the students.

DiGiulio: Thanks, Ms. Lambert. I’m excited to see how the survey turns out and how we can improve the Wi-Fi for everyone.

Lambert: Thank you, Dominic. I appreciate your dedication to this project. Together, we’ll make a real difference for the school.

Note: The Wi-Fi Committee will soon be sending students a survey form asking for feedback and potential issues regarding Wi-Fi that you are having. Thank you for helping us improve Kenmore West.