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School system goes on cable

By J. FRANK LYNCH

jflynch@thecitizennews.com

After more than four years in the making, Fayette County schools finally have their own 24-hour TV channel available to local Comcast cable customers.

Melinda Berry-Driesbach, public information specialist for the school system, said Fayette County Schools Channel 24 officially went on the air Monday after several delays.

The Board of Education approved funding to purchase equipment to operate the channel earlier this year.

Andy Macke, director of government and community affairs for Comcast’s Atlanta region, said the company donated $50,000 to underwrite the cost of connecting the cable system with the Board of Education offices, where the channel’s equipment is housed.

“Knowing the budget constraints faced by the school system, Comcast not only donated the cabling but also became a Partner in Education with the school system,” said Berry-Driesbach.

The channel operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, said Berry-Driesbach.

For now, it features announcements about news and events happening systemwide, as well as at individual schools.

The channel will also show from time to time pre-taped videos of cultural arts performances, classroom demonstrations, athletic events and timely topics of interest to viewers, Berry-Driesbach said.

More programming will be added as the channel is developed.

“We are very excited to finally have this channel up and running,” said Berry-Driesbach, who oversees the channel and has spent most of her time since the start of the school year trying to get it operational.

“It gives us another communication tool for getting important information out to our stakeholders,” she said. “Parents, students, teachers, staff members and residents who are interested in knowing what is happening within our schools will be able to tune in to see a sampling of what goes on inside Fayette’s classrooms as well as get the latest news and information on our system.”

As a Partner in Education, last year Comcast sponsored a special incentive program in which it donated money to the school system for each new cable and high speed Internet subscriber in Fayette County.

Earlier this fall, more than 90 Comcast employees spent the day helping spread 600 bales of pine straw at the new Whitewater High School.

“We are extremely appreciative of the work Comcast has done for our school system,” said Berry-Driesbach. “Without Comcast’s generous donation for the wiring, we might not have a cable channel up and running today.”

Berry-Dreisbach pointed out that the channel is still in the earliest stages of development, and she welcomed suggestions on how to improve it or on programming ideas.

She can be reached by e-mail at berrydreisbach.melinda@fcboe.org, or by phone at 770-460-3535.