Creating School Web Pages
Every
school seems to have a website,
why?
What
should go into a good school web
page?
What
are the steps in building a quality
school web site?
Developing a school
web page has become a popular practice in many
schools. Learn more about designing quality school
websites. Read the article Why
in the World Wide Web? Reasons for Schools to Create
Web Sites and
explore the links at Designing
School Web Sites by Jamie McKenzie.
Explore
Before you jump into the development of a page, it's a good idea to explore some schools who have already been through the process. Go to the Cool Schools page for a list of school websites. For good design examples, go to Composite K-12 School District Web. What are the strengths and weaknesses of each school site?
Plan
Planning is an
essential part of web page development. Start with a
planning committee that involves administrators,
teachers, library media specialists, technology
people, parents, community members, and students. The
first task of the committee is to identify the purpose
of the website. Ask yourself: Why do we need a
website? Who is the audience? How will resources be
used? Why will they want to revisit the website
later?
Develop a set of
policies and procedures related to the website.
Identify roles and responsibilities such as webmaster,
content coordinator, writer, and editor. Develop
content provider guidelines. Develop a policy for the
use of student names, photographs, and projects. Also,
discuss copyright issues and ways of handling dated
pages and link rot. Consider legal issues such as
acceptable use. What disclaimers should be posted for
users?
Design
Identify the content
for the website. Who decides on the content? Does
every document need to be online? Is it available
elsewhere? Could we link to it? How will information
be used? Why will people revisit for more
information?
Sometimes it's hard
to think of all the things that might be included in a
school web site. Below is a list of things to
consider. This list is also available as a pdf file.
School
Information
- Contact Information: Name, Address, City, County, State/Province, Country, email, web address
- School Background: History, Mission, Song, Logo
- Virtual School Tour: Directions, Map, Photos, Classrooms, Videos, Live Cams
- School Accomplishments: Awards, Achievements, Grants, Special Thanks
- School Announcements: Events, Schedules, Calendars, Timelines
- News and Information: Minutes, Newspaper, Ezines, Announcements - snowdays
- School Policies & Procedures: Mission, Philosophy, Handbook, Curriculum Guides, Policies, Programs
People Information
- Staff/Administration: Principal Welcome, Directory (name, position, contacts)
- Teacher Pages: Directory (name, position, contact)
- Class or Grade Level Pages: Classroom, projects, assignments, themes, field trips
- Student Pages: Project posting, sharing, links to personal pages (offsite)
- Support Departments: Content Area Departments, Library/Media, Technology, Health Services, Bus Routes, Art & Music, Sports, Clubs, After School Programs, Special Programs (Special Ed, TAG, ESL)
- Parents/Volunteers: Directory, PTO/PTA, Activities, Opportunities, Events, Needs
Curriculum Connections
- Student Resources: Assignments, Course Information, Projects, Popular Links
- Teacher Resources: Lesson Plans, Professional Development, Popular Links
- Parent Resources: Parenting Resources, Popular Links
- Curriculum Materials: Online Curriculum Materials: lessons, activities, homework
Community Information and Outreach
- Local Information: Weather, Geography, Culture, events, Attractions, Library
- Local Resources: Natural and Historical Resources, Business & Nonprofit Contacts
- Business Connections: School Supporters, Grants, Free Advertising
- Call For Participation: Volunteers, Wish List, Funding Needs
Create
Before creating your
pages, read the article The
Tenets of Effective WEB Site
Design. Also,
read Designing
Quality School Web
Pages by Patti
Tarell and Tips
for Developing School Web
Pages.
Develop the structure
for your website. Careful organization is essential.
Use a software package such as Inspiration to help visualize the website's folders and pages.
Think about how directories and files will be named.
Establish levels of control. For example, you might
assign a site manager who coordinates content, a
webmaster who designs and uploads pages, department
coordinators who provide content for specific areas of
the website, and individuals who provide additional
contributions. Try to get everyone involved with
submitting content. Although some people may create
HTML documents or use web development tools, others
can submit projects in a word processing format or on
a piece of paper.
You don't have to
begin your website from scratch. Many schools start
with a template. Or, use ideas from your favorite
school websites. Then, build basic pages as
needed.
Develop a standard
template and layout for your website. Involve students
in creating logos, photos, and other visual elements
for the website. Each page should contain a title,
navigation tools, creation/update date, and email
contact. Consider how student work will be
displayed.
Design your entry
page (index, menu, home, front, or core page). This
page will provide users with their first impression of
your school. It should reflect the school philosophy.
For example, what pictures will you include on your
front page? Does the website reflect your school's
mission? Is your entry page attractive and easy to
use? Does it provide easy access to your site
including menus, index, and other tools? Is this page
updated regularly? Is new information
highlighted?
Make our website
interactive. For example, you might include email
contacts, forms, discussion forums, guest books,
interactive quizzes and other elements.
Revise
Once the pages have
been posted, your job is not done. It's time to do
field testing on different computer platforms and web
browsers. Also, try the website with difference
audiences. Ask them to look for simplicity,
nagivation, ease of use, accuracy, technical quality,
and effective links. Revise your website to meet
diverse needs.
Maintaining your
website can be a big challenge. If limited support is
available, consider eliminating aspects of your
website that require ongoing support such as
announcements, schedules, and lunch menus. Try to
update the website periodically, even if time is
limited. A new project each month will draw return
visitors. Enlist the help of others such as student
workers, volunteers, a web club, or computer
class.
Plan
a School Website
Following
the steps above, plan a school website.
Create a diagram showing the pages of the
website and how they might be connected.
Also, sketch a few alternatives for the
layout of the entry page. Share your ideas
with another educator or your
students