Vegas PBS expanding educational TV while schools are closed

While schools statewide have been ordered to remain closed until at least April 14, Vegas PBS will offer 12 straight hours of educational programming separated by grade levels beginning Monday, according to a statement by the corporation.

Vegas PBS KIDS, Channel 10.1, will offer pre-K-12 educational programming from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays for students in Clark, Lincoln, Nye and White Pine counties while schools across the state remain closed during the coronavirus pandemic. The nonprofit has partnered with the Clark County School District and Nevada Department of Education to determine the curriculum-based broadcasts, the statement said.

Programming from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. will caterto students in preschool through third grade and include “Sesame Street,” “Arthur” and several life science and STEM shows. Shows from 2 to 4 p.m. are intended for fourth- through eighth-graders and 4 to 6 p.m. broadcasts are intended for high school students.

“Schools report that over a third of local children do not have home access to internet service. Even more report fewer devices than children in the home. Educational television was the core value of our founders over 50 years ago,” Tom Axtell, general manager of Vegas PBS, said in the statement.

PBS, Channel 10.3, will offer 24-hour children’s programming as well.

The program schedule and subject of each show are available at vegaspbs.org/learn, and extra learning resources are available at classroomcast.org.

Contact Sabrina Schnur at sschnur@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0278. Follow @sabrina_schnur on Twitter.