Websites that People will Actually Use

What is our vision?

Characteristics of a good school website?

What makes you return to a website?

What makes you NOT return to a website?

Successful Planning

What program will you use? Who is responsible? Who is your audience? Brainstorm Content

Guidelines Graphics

Successful Planning

Create the site in phases – Rome was not build in a day!

Successful Planning Create an organizational chart for planning

purposes If you already have a site, place it on a chart

If it doesn’t work on a chart, it probably doesn’t work for the users

Home

Students Teachers Parents

Organizational Warnings!!

Teachers who want their pages on the home page

Site must make sense to someone who has never seen it before

Keep it consistent

Suggestions Basics

Teacher Directory including email addresses and links to teacher pages

Parent Information including student handbook, homework policy, after school activities, Principal’s Letter, School Calendar, internet resources

Student Information including handbook, lunch menus, school calendar, club information

Suggestions

Work with your administration and show them any major design changes you are considering….a couple of pages as examples

Ask principal to outline to faculty what s/he expects from them in terms of participation

Suggestions

Use school colors, logos to keep your site consistent (template) Examples

Ooltewah High SchoolFranklin High SchoolShimelphenig Middle SchoolMartha Hunt Elementary School

Suggestions

Graphics Make sure that pages are not cluttered

with graphics – there is too much of a good thing

Consider the time if takes to load – there are those who may be using dial-up

No names with student pictures

Things to Avoid!

Random colors not associated with your school logos or mascot

Dark background with light text (what if a parent wants to print?)

Too many things blinking & bouncing Inconsistent design between pages Too many cooks in the kitchen!

What’s next?

References/Sources

http://www.lesliefisher.com/ http://www.internet4classrooms.com/

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