It’s in with the new and maybe out with the old for North Colonie School District.
Last week the district launched its recently overhauled Web site in efforts to improve upon communications with students and parents.
Online for more than a week and with school yet to begin, the site has already received positive feedback from viewers, said its designer, Erin McNulty.
McNulty is the communications specialist for Capital Region Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES). She serves as the Web master to North Colonie and the Mohonasen Central School district in Rotterdam.
This (site) is really a toll of communication between the school district and the community, she said. `It’s a totally newly redesigned Web site with a ton of new features.`
Talks of breathing new life into the district’s Web site have been ongoing for several years, according to district officials. Deciding that the upcoming school year was the time to do it, officials budgeted for the upgrade in the school’s budget. The new site was completed at a cost of $30,000.
However, there could be savings by way of doing away with old district communications via mail. Printing the district’s newsletter and sending out various mailings can add up, said Randy Ehrenberg, district superintendent.
District officials are discussing what could come of the costly community newsletters. No decision has been made.
Among some of the features included on the site include: up-to-date calendar information, meal prices and menus for all eight schools, a calendar of school activities for each school, contact information, staff directories, up-to-date information on school closings and delays, job postings and the latest news headlines and happenings.
One of the hopes for the new site is parents won’t be turning to television news stations or waiting by the radio to learn that school has been closed due to inclement weather, said McNulty. They can go online and check instantly.
Each morning the district will have contact with McNulty to assure that information is up to date and posted.
`People find it easier to navigate, and there is more information,` said Ehrenberg.
The district has also included information in the latest changes to state tests and regulations.
The site also includes a `parent corner,` which features a compiled list of articles for parents to read. The articles cover a variety of topics discussing preschool students to high school seniors. They range from `fostering independence in young children,` to an article about preparing high school students for the work force.
The new site is designed around a more `extensive academic aspect,` said McNulty.“
