MSBSD Website Guidelines

Make text readable Make navigation Clear Use quality graphics, quickly accessible Have a consistent look and feel

Timeline of Implementation

Oct 08 Schoolwires program purchased Nov 08 Administration Staff Trained Nov 08 Pilot Subsite Directors Trained Jan 09 All Subsite Directors trained Feb-Mar 09 Staff Meetings and Teacher intros

We visit schools to introduce staff. GOAL: off old sites by end of FY 09 credit courses offered to teachers:March/Apr/May/SAMS

Make text readable, remember...

Frantically busy images obscure textStandard size 12 fontReadable font and colorText in chunks, 5 or 6 line limitCorrect and informative contentOpposite colors for text - http://www.colortools.net/

Spell check, review, re read and spell check

Make your navigation clear

Make navigation tools obvious Everything in the same relative place from

page to page Make titles general, consistent Include index for list of more than ten pages Bookmark long text

Use Quality Graphics

Every image should be there for a good reason and purpose

Use graphics that won't give seizures

Site Directors High resolution, 750 x 250 for banner Well focused, with design elements suitable for arc. Balanced, diverse selections; art, academics, sports Find/ create a quality logo suitable for the banner

Consistent

Similar layouts on each page Similar titles on navigation bar from site to site Colors that do not harm the eyes Not more than three colors on a page Elements that tie into other pages on the

website Navigation elements in the same place

About Us – For Site Directors

School site info/history/community About Principal Schedules Transportation Nutrition services School Supply Lists

Staff – For Site Directors

Use Schoolwires default for organization Make sure every staff member is listed OR use a staff list linked to homepages

District Channels – For Site Directors

The yellow channels are pushed down from the district site. They contain info for all Employees, Parents and Students

Please do not make any changes to these channels

Events vs. Announcements For Site Directors

Events are not customizable

Events feed from the Calendar

Events are related to dates

Announcements can be customized

Announcements can be dates or news created by the editor

Announcement can be dates or other things

Evaluation GuideFor School Pages

Level 1

High Quality well configured banner photo

Logo/Mascot current and clear graphic

Front Page welcome with limited scrolling (1 view inclusive)

Shortcuts limited to about 6

Channel Bar doesn’t wrap and meets district standards

Level 2

Photo Galleries

Forms & Surveys

Parents Registered

Active Blocks

E-Alerts

Teacher pages

Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4

Contact InfoWelcome Statement/BioSyllabus/Grading Policy/Classroom RulesSchedule

Homework – CalendarNewsletterCalendar

Parents all RegisteredStudent WorkPhoto GalleriesE-Alerts

Homework LinksBlogsPodcasts

Afterthoughts

This is content management, not complete web design, so all you need to focus on is content, not so much design, (ie colors etc)

Your page will have a banner, choose colors that fit with your banner

Any opportunity to use authentic work, i.e. kid art or pictures of kids, instead of clip art is encouraged, start using a camera.

How to sign in to the website.

Use Novell information Change your profile Subscribing to schools

How to find Website Help pages

Guides Resources Examples of other websites

Planning your Website

On the next few pages write what your plans are for these

types of pages

Flex Page

Good for everything You can add any text, image, link, tables, photo

gallery or survey to this page.  You will probably use this page the most

Article Library

Good for listing of news and events Title linked to document, page or external link The page is a template, therefore there is not

much flexibility when using it.

Link Library

Just a list of links The page is a template, therefore there is not

much flexibility when using it

Photo Gallery

Slide show with music

**Be sure to check each child’s permissions to publish before you use

their picture.  Your Administrative Secretary can check Permissions to

Publish in SchoolMax**

Podcast

Upload and broadcast audio and video Lessons, student productions, readings etc. Listed as Episodes

Blogs

Reading responses and discussion forum

Assignments

Can add assignments by category Add documents, instructions or link to external

web pages Automatically send assignment to calendar

Calendar

• You can use a calendar page to post classroom events, homework (even link documents), register visitors for an event and more.

 

Surveys

Can be used for quizzes and assessments, parent surveys or as on-line registration tool