An effectively run school is efficient in all of its processes. From classroom instruction, to front office operations, to communication with parents and the district, a school must be able to achieve results and gain the support of the surrounding community to succeed.
One of the most important tools available to accomplish these goals is a website. School websites that present information in a clear way and which are user-friendly make it easy for parents, students, and staff to find what they are looking for. This includes academic calendars, upcoming events, important alerts, and facility rental policies.
The key thing to keep in mind when developing a school website is that it needs to be intuitive and practical. In addition to making it easier for parents and other stakeholders to find information, it should also integrate with existing school processes to simplify workflow. You can reduce the amount of unnecessary steps and eliminate headaches that both your staff and users get by creating a school website which includes all of the necessary features without the fuss.
What features should you include in a website, and how do they help achieve the overall mission of the school? Here are some of the characteristics of good educational websites that enhance communication and provide valuable benefits to schools.
Simple Navigation and Easy-to-Find Answers
One of the most important characteristics of a good website – educational or otherwise – is a simple layout that allows for intuitive navigation and easy-to-find answers. In fact, Moveable Online ranks navigation as one of its “8 Key Features for Websites in the Education Sector.” You want every potential user, from a student logging in to check grades to a grandmother looking to confirm details for graduation, to be able to find what they are looking for. In order to do this you need to ensure that you have a clean design with navigation menus that are clear.
This is accomplished by having various sections of your school’s website that each relate to important topics. For example, a website for a high school should include an area for athletics schedules, registration information and a staff directory.
Quick links for students keep them up-to-date on upcoming testing schedules and can provide information on resources on campus. Calendars ensure every family can see when important events come up. Posting school policies, such as the parent/student handbook and code of conduct, increase transparency and help school officials create accountability in their students.
Design and navigation also relate to the capabilities the site has on the back end for administrators. The information on your school’s website must be constantly updated in order for it to remain useful.
Feeding content into the site using a content management system developed specifically for schools allows you to populate it with the latest information and details. This means that parents can access a secure portal to view grades, schedules and assignments, while teachers can update those sections quickly and conveniently.
It is important to note, however, that the best educational websites are not just limited to those being built for high schools. In fact, campuses in the K-12 range can also benefit from having websites that are user friendly.
Streamlined Processes Through Online Forms
A constant struggle for school administrators involves sending out, receiving, filing and recording a variety of forms for every student. Some school districts still require parents to fill out thick stacks of paperwork every summer before the school year begins to update emergency contact information, medical records, publicity consent forms and more.
Not only does this process take up time for parents, but sorting through the forms is taxing on the school staff as well. By moving forms online, when possible, schools are able to see instant productivity and efficiency boosts.
A secure and reliable school website uses technology to allow families to access both school and district forms online. This automated process makes it easier for them to fill out forms on their own time and eliminates the risk of papers being lost in transit.
Parents are able to look up items such as health history and athletics participation forms, and can also confirm that they and their child(ren) have read and agree to the policies written in the student handbook.
Here are some additional benefits districts see by integrating online forms into school websites:
- Centralized student information profiles
- Student data saved year-to-year for faster updating
- Quick access to necessary reports for administrators
- IP address tracking to ensure legitimacy of forms and information for students
- Unique ID information and PIN codes add security to the database
Convenience for families and efficiency for administrators are cornerstones of any good website for schools.
Common Sense Facility Management Capabilities
Enhancing facility management processes is one of the top goals for schools around the country. Student groups and outside organizations are always looking for meeting space, and having to rely on email chains and phone calls can cause headaches.
A facilities management tool built into your website helps organize reservations so you can avoid conflicts and ease the burden on your staff. At the same time, this technology gives you everything you need to maximize facility usage, especially from outside groups, as a way to bring in funds for the school you may have missed out on.
Your website, whether it is for a grade school, high school, or entire district, needs to have the capability to receive inquiries and reservations for facility use. A good school site includes a facility rental policy that outlines fees. In addition, your website should have details about available spaces, such as the capacity of the gymnasium, so potential renters have the information they need to book online.
A platform built into your website structure coordinates the school’s facility rentals calendar with that of the district to avoid double-bookings. The online rental process allows school administrators to easily coordinate with a point person for the rental, who can then use the district’s invoicing procedure or pay by credit card. One automated process for facility management makes a world of difference on the school staff, while also making it easier and more convenient for renters.
Accessibility on the Go
According to Smart Insights, the number of people who access the Internet using a mobile device is now greater than the number that use a desktop computer. This is especially true as more and more students begin to get their first smartphone. As a result, it is critical for schools to have a website that is responsive on mobile devices. Users should be able to easily bring up your website, and navigate to the information they are looking for, without having to continually zoom and move around the layout.
Accessibility while on the go gives students, parents, and staff the ability to access important school information from anywhere. Making it easier and more convenient to interact with the site will lead to more people using it as the resource it is intended to be. To ensure that your school’s site is responsive, it is smart to work with a website provider that builds sites specifically for the education sector.
With your unique needs in mind, you will be able to create an effective website that provides value while also including cutting-edge features. Simple navigation, mobility, and the automation of essential processes improves school efficiency and makes it easier for everyone to find what they need on your website. Learn more about developing the best school website for your campus or district by contacting a representative of eSchoolView today at (888) 932-6460.