By Tim McNellie
Work on a web site is never truly finished, says Toni Sulkowski, director of technology at Peters Township School District, as the very nature of the medium demands constant updates. But after a year of exhaustive redesign, the new online home of the school district is finally ready for public consumption.
Put online this summer, the site, located at www.ptsd.k12.pa.us, sports an entirely new look, along with features like a search engine and mailing lists to make it easier for parents, taxpayers and other interested parties to stay abreast of school happenings.
“We are very excited about the new web site,” said Sulkowski, who oversaw the redesign. “We listened to the requests from our community and tried to accommodate everyone’s needs. Our final product is a web site that’s better designed, more accessible and has something for everyone.”
Along with the community at large, Sulkowski solicited input from school communications coordinator Cara Zanella, and technology coordinator James Beeghley to refine the existing site and add some sought-after new features.
Late last year, the district hired online design firm Web Makeovers to create a fresh, crisp new web site that affords visitors instant information on the district. Utilizing the school colors in a more modern design than the previous Peters page, the new layout presents much the same information, but in a better-organized and easier-to-find manner.
New residents and realtors, for example, will quickly find frequently-requested statistical and district information only a click or two from the homepage. A search engine allows visitors to instantly search the entire site for keywords. If you’re trying to find PTA minutes, for instance, you can simply type that term in the search box and instantly see links to every district page in which “PTA minutes” appears.
Parents are also able to sign up for e-news from the district or from the schools of their choice. Subscribers to this free service will periodically receive e-mailed information from the school. A message might contain notifications about upcoming standardized tests, a reminder about the school play or whatever information each school deems relevant.
The school’s web site has become increasingly popular since it was first launched in the late 1990s. In June, the site averaged nearly 600 visitors each day, a typical figure, according to Sulkowski.
“People like to be able to find things 24-7,” she said, “whether it’s lunch menus, school board meeting minutes or information about an event.”
With the main district page redesigned and up and running, Sulkowski will turn her attention to redesigning the individual school web sites, using the district page as a template.
When complete, the new school pages and will allow parents to access items such as calendars, lunch menus and athletic schedules all with a press of the button on the home page.
“It is always a work in progress,” said Sulkowksi. “We know that our new site has the necessary information that parents need during the school year. We are pleased that all of our hard work has resulted in a web site that truly reflects the progressive nature of our students, community and district.”
To introduce residents to the new site, the district has produced a half-hour orientation that is currently airing on the township cable access station Wednesdays and Thursdays at 2 p.m. and 9 p.m.
