Your school website is much more than a repository for calendars and bell schedules—it's the gateway to your school community. Why is this digital space so important, and how can it best serve your community? Let’s break down why a well-designed, functional, and up-to-date school website is essential for today’s schools.
Social Media and Websites
One of the biggest things we hear from schools is that, “People use social media, they’re not checking the website.” Your website and your social media are two different mediums that should work together to share information. But just because they can share information doesn’t mean they’re interchangeable. Your social media will be home to all kinds of content, but it’s not easy for parents to search for specific details, view your calendar, or access links to external resources, like your learning management system - all things that are easy to do on a website.
More than that, parents expect your school to have a site - that’s the reality of operating in the twenty-first century. Last school year, Rally websites averaged over 45,000 page views each. That’s a ton of parents, students, and staff who are looking for information - information that’s easier to find and share with a website than social media. Parents use school websites to stay informed and learn about your school, so it’s important to have one!
A Good First Impression
When parents start looking for a school for their child, your website is one of the first places they’ll check. Does your website create a good first impression? A professional, user-friendly site sets the tone for your school’s reputation. If visitors struggle to find information or encounter outdated content, it reflects poorly on your school. They’ll see that maintaining the website isn’t a priority and question the accuracy of the information present there - and how committed your school is to communicating with families. A well-organized and visually appealing website demonstrates that your school is modern, organized, and values communication with parents.
The Heartbeat of Your School
Your website should highlight and showcase your school. From the programs and services your school provides, to the activities and events for current students, your website should have it all! In just a few clicks, parents should be able to learn all there is to know about your school, from contact information, transportation information, and school supply lists.
By sharing information that’s important to your community, you show them that you understand their needs. This helps to create trust with your community, and will keep them coming back to your website - and not calling your office! These pieces are vital to strengthen the relationship between your school and parents.
Not sure what to share on your website?
School Spirit
There’s more to your school than just documents and directories, and your website is the perfect place to highlight student and staff achievements, feel-good stories, and on-campus events. From showcasing student projects, staff accomplishments, or highlighting key initiatives, your website is a powerful tool to show your school spirit!
If your school (or school district) has cultural values, your website is the best way to show your commitment. What’s happening in your school for sustainability? Innovation? Community involvement? Use your news blog, photo galleries, and calendars to show what makes your school special and demonstrate your key values.
Accessible for All
Your website should be built according to international standards to ensure that everyone can access its content: even those who can’t see or use a keyboard. Don’t worry - most of these are taken care of by your website provider. Ensuring that your website is accessible to everyone demonstrates your school’s commitment to inclusivity, and ensures that all members of your community can access your information easily.
Your website is also accessible in a different way. While your school office has set operating hours, your website is online 24 hours a day. Parents with busy schedules may find it difficult to contact your school during business hours, but can access your website anyime. Your website can provide vital resources and information to any who need them and at any time of day!
Want to make your website more accessible?
Emergency Information
In case of an emergency, your website is a powerful tool to help keep your community informed. Should something happen at your school, you should be able to quickly post a banner or pop-up to alert all visitors to your website of the situation. For prolonged period of uncertainty, you can create a Crisis Dashboard and share all your resources and information in one place to create stability.
Remember, your students and parents can have emergencies too! Keep your school’s contact information easily accessible to all visitors so parents can reach out if they need to.
Your school website is the most important digital resource for your school community. Not only do parents rely on it for vital information, it’s also a powerful tool to showcase your school spirit and values. Parents expect your school to have a website - and maintiaining, keeping it current and easy to use, is vital to earning their trust and fostering good parent relationships.