Websites That Work

In an elementary school, communication is an essential part of the daily job that school staff have in helping parents be a vested integral part of their child's education. The school website is a great tool that helps many parents find information and stay current on their child's educational experience; therefore, a school website needs to contain information that is both useful and helpful to parents. I believe that a website needs to have resources for parents, information about school performance and access to calendars and general day to day news.

Resources for parents are essential to a good website. A school's website should contain enriching links to appropriate games that are linked to a student's education. I feel that online games in both reading and math are important for parents to have access to for two reasons-one being that many of these games and activities are free and two being that students can use their natural abilities towards technology outside of school where they can play games and improve their academic performance. I plan to include links to many resources for parents and students including math games, reading games and science/social studies games. I think that when parents have the appropriate tools to help their children at home, they are more likely to help their child succeed-especially in this age where children are digital learners.

I feel that having information about a school's performance is important because it makes the school "own" the data and it shares with the community the ways in which the school is working for and trying to meet the needs of all students. Because of this, I want my website to include links to MSA scores as well as the School Improvement Plan. I feel that this only helps to strengthen the connection between the school and community because the school is sharing this information and owning it in terms of how they can do better for the needs of all who are stakeholders in the community.

I also feel that a good website answers questions for parents. As an adult in the "real world," I like my information to be answered with my own researching and without a phone call. Many parents work long hours just like school staff and are not always able to call the school or teacher for information; therefore, if a school's website contains pertinent information such as a schedule of activities, calendar, instructional information such as newsletters and information to reach the staff, then parents can answer questions without having to take the hassle of making a call and then leaving a message and waiting for a return phone call. I want to include items such as these in my website so that parents feel that the school cares about them and their busy schedule.

I feel that a website is the first impression that many people have of a school. It should be informative, resourceful and helpful for parents so it can further strengthen the home-school connection. A good website will help keep a school actively running with parents eager to volunteer and be involved because they feel valued and have the information at their fingertips!