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Daniel Marsula, Post-Gazette Click photo for larger image. |
Today, the orange construction cone graphics are long gone. In their place is a sophisticated and powerful Web site that's become one of the district's primary communication tools.
"We've come a long way," said Paul Hoffman, the district's technology director.
Like Highlands, many local districts are investing more time and money than ever in their Web sites. As Internet use increases, parents and students are demanding easy access to a host of school district information from snow delays to sports schedules.
Districts are responding with ever more sophisticated Web sites that are keeping people connected with a degree of immediacy and detail unthinkable a decade ago.
On a recent morning that became unexpectedly snowy, for example, North Hills School District officials posted arriving bus numbers to the district Web site so parents would know their children were safe.
"We are using the Web site as an instantaneous communication tool," said Tina Vojtko, North Hills' public relations coordinator.
Parents in many districts, such as Seneca Valley and Highlands, no longer have to wait for report cards to know how their children are doing in class. Instead, they log on to district Web sites and access tools like Classroll.com that track student grades and attendance.
Information such as school board meeting minutes, budgets and the district's report cards required by the federal No Child Left Behind law are standard fare on district Web sites across the region. The public has a right to see such information, but before the Internet, people often had to find it the hard way -- by physically going to district buildings. Such information is increasingly available with a few mouse clicks.
"The NCLB information -- legally, you have to post that. Well, here's a perfect place to do that," Deer Lakes' technology director Angelo Furiga said.
Detailed Web sites also make it easy to learn about a school district. Many district sites include profile or statistics pages that tout information of interest to prospective residents, such as class sizes, test scores and student-to-computer ratios. In today's educational landscape, where parents shop for a school district, that kind of information can be important to a prospective home buyer.
On Fox Chapel Area's site, it's possible to schedule a district tour online. That feature was the brainchild of Superintendent Alan Fager.
"He knew people more and more are going on district Web sites and shopping for schools as they move from city to city," technology director Norton Gusky said .
Districts also are using their Web sites to reach out to former students. Many now include alumni pages where graduates can search for classmate's e-mail addresses or reunion information.
Other sites, such as Shaler Area's, include links of interest to senior citizens in the district.
Just a few years ago, Web sites, particularly in smaller districts, were often afterthoughts. They frequently were designed and maintained by students more interested in graphics than content or by faculty members with other full-time responsibilities.
Now, many districts boast professionally designed Web sites. Content is carefully prescribed and managed, most often by a district public relations coordinator.
Hampton School District, for example, has spent $37,000 since September 2002 to update its Web site, previously designed by students. The district used Pittsburgh-based Unicentric.
"It's undergone three revisions since then, and it keeps growing. It's very much interactive. It's become the major communication tool of the district," said Pat Forest, district community services liaison.
Hoffman, of Highlands, wouldn't give a dollar figure but said the district made "a substantial investment" in its initial site design and now pays a yearly maintenance fee.
Even some districts that have had sophisticated Web sites for years are updating and polishing their designs.
Seneca Valley last month debuted a $5,000 site redesign by Ambridge-based Zeta Design and Development.
"We felt there were too many menu items. It was overwhelming. It needed a fresher, more appealing look," said public relations coordinator Linda Andreassi, who maintains the site's content.
Some districts, such as North Allegheny, choose to design their sites in house.
"Everything we've done has been 100 percent in-house. ... It keeps costs down," said Ron Perry, manager of academic technology for the district.
Other sites, such as Butler Area's, are no frills. A redesign is coming soon, but Assistant Superintendent Jerry Slamecka said the district is focusing most of its technology resources elsewhere.
"While the Web site is important, our main priority right now is educational technology as it pertains to students in the classroom," he said.
Some districts track Web site traffic and can attest to increased use. Even districts that don't said they know residents use their sites because they hear about it when things go wrong.
Furiga, of Deer Lakes, recalled when Windows XP came out with a new service package that blocked his district's site.
"I was getting 30 or 40 calls a week," he said.
Districts that have invested in building detailed Web sites say the sites save them time and money. Secretaries, for example, no longer need to photocopy and mail board meeting minutes when residents can read them on the district Web site or sign up to have the documents sent to their e-mail address.
"It's a very cost-effective way to do things," said Fox Chapel Area spokeswoman Bonnie Berzonski.
No matter how sophisticated district Web sites become, Dan Charney, technology director for Shaler Area, believes districts must emphasize ease of use.
"If people can't find the information they want within two or three clicks, they're just going to get frustrated and give up," he said.
Here are brief reviews of Web sites for North suburban school districts:
Avonworth
This site has lots of depth. It contains district report cards, board highlights and a press release archive. Scroll through the calendar to find dates and times for district activities from the high school blood drive to the next board meeting. Peruse an analysis of the budget or a breakdown of the recently approved teacher contract. A communications department survey posted on the home page demonstrates a concerted effort to find out what information residents most want.
Butler Area
This is a bright, attractive site with a cute Tornado Country logo. Content is limited, however, and some of what's posted is outdated. A district overview, for example, cites budget information from 1999-2000. Some individual building pages are quite detailed. Others are under construction. Look for a redesigned site to debut in the spring.
Deer Lakes
This cleanly designed, professional-looking site is a good starting point for information on the district, including the district report card and newsletter. A simple menu makes it easy to find what you're looking for-- whether that's announcements, the cafeteria menu or recent school board actions.
Fox Chapel Area
With its sepia-toned photos and glowing parent quotes, this is one site that's not shy about fulfilling its role as a public relations vehicle. It's also useful. Those who are considering a move into the district can schedule a tour online. Those who already live in the district can move to the Priority News section, which highlights upcoming events and student accomplishments. This is also the place to go for access to hard data, such as district report cards, school board notes, budget information and district policies and procedures. There's also a detailed college index that shows the post-secondary schools that accepted or rejected the applications of recent district graduates.
Hampton Township
This site has a clean, uncluttered look and a newspaper-style appearnce thanks to a homepage Headlines section that reports on top district stories, and a smaller District News section devoted to upcoming events and recent accomplishments. The site includes the information residents are most likely to want: snow delays and cancellations; board meeting schedules, agendas and highlights; maps to district schools and athletic fields; and individual sports team schedules. Communicating with district officials is easy; board members' names, addresses, phone numbers and e-mail addresses are listed. Debuting next month is feature called Parent Viewer, a program that allows parents to check their children's grades and attendance online.
Highlands
This is a big site considering Highlands is a small district. Parents can view lunch menus and a district activities calendar and access student grades and attendance records online. The district's discipline codes and handbooks are also posted, as is the district's annual report card.
Mars Area
This is a fun-looking site that plays on the district's unusual name by using a starry night sky as its background. Content is straightforward: directions, district phone numbers, upcoming events listings, board minutes and district report cards. One convenient feature is downloadable files of important district forms such as a health records questionnaire. There's also a link to Classroll.com, if a parent wants to check a child's grades.
North Allegheny
This site delivers comprehensive information in a simple package. Online agendas and meeting minutes make it possible to follow school board actions even if you can't get to the meeting. A page spells out how board meetings are run and how to contact members with questions. News releases and district report cards as well as a redistricting update are posted. For detailed budget information, however, people will still need to seek out a hard copy in the central office or local library. The site includes an extensive athletics section.
Northgate
This is a no-frills site. Sports schedules, driving directions, a basic district calendar and board highlights from recent meetings are posted. What isn't posted is an easy way to contact district administration. Administrators are listed by name and position but phone numbers, e-mail addresses or the administration offices' main phone number are not listed.
North Hills
This site has an engaging feel thanks to liberal use of candid student and staff photos. The site offers one-stop shopping for all of the district's important information. Users can check for snow delays, peruse the school lunch menu or find out when sports physicals are scheduled. North Hills alumni can check reunion information as far back as the class of 1949. Hard information -- everything from board meeting minutes to audited financial statements and budget breakdowns -- is available. Need tax forms? Download them in pdf form. How about a summer camp? A link on the athletics page provides information on instructional sports camps.
Pine-Richland
Pine-Richland has had a sophisticated Web site for some years now and the district continues to polish it. It still has the nuts and bolts like budget information, district report cards, board highlights and the like. But it also has a host of extras. Parents and students can participate in online curriculum surveys. Interested parties can make an online reservation for the American Field Service World Banquet or sign up to have district news and information delivered directly to their e-mail inbox. A Parent Resources link offers advice.
Quaker Valley
This is another site with a newspaper style because of a homepage Features section that contains detailed articles on district events. Lots of district Web sites sport similar sections, but Quaker Valley takes the concept to a new level. A recent article not only announced that some pupils would move to a school building in Ambridge during the district's elementary renovations, it also set forth a persuasive argument that the decision was the best option. The budget, board meeting highlights, district report cards and contact information are all here, although a user might have to dig a bit to find them. District officials say a redesign is on the way, one that promises to make the site more intuitive.
Seneca Valley
The district unveiled a redesign last month. Displayed front and center are links to home pages for each of the district's nine school buildings. Important district news is right below. A school status box clearly conveys delay and cancellation information. Parents can view their child's academic progress through a Classroll.com portal. When it comes to facts and figures, it's all here, from district report cards to board meeting minutes and highlights. Need to contact a board member? The board members' phone numbers are posted. One unique feature is an anonymous tip line that allows users to report safety threats.
Shaler Area
Comprehensive but not flashy, this site has just about everything. The home page alerts visitors to announcements and upcoming events. It also contains the district's strategic plan and district report cards as well as board agendas and highlights. Have a question or concern? This site includes phone numbers for administrators and board members. Download the student newspaper in pdf form or reconnect with classmates via the alumni page. One unusual feature is that the home page displays the district's current security code. The four color-coded levels escalate from green signaling normal to red indicating an emergency situation requiring evacuation.
South Butler
The home page features a bright yellow background with an eye-catching sunrise graphic. The site contains basic district information such as an event calendar, administration numbers, lunch menus, school board highlights and district report cards. A Headlines section provides brief summaries of district events . Individual school pages are more detailed. Forewarning: When a user chooses an option from the navigation menu, the selected page opens in a new window. Each page has to be closed to return to the district home page.
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