We have our own website: Lake Center

We started our site out of frustration with the slow update of the school's site. Not to mention we had no control over the PTO News on it (and we only had a small spot). The first year is almost up and while we don't have hundreds of hits, we are slowly moving up in the number of people going.

And yes, you need to make sure you have someone with the passion to update, update, update. There is nothing worse than an out of date 'site - I mean that's why many PTO's went to having their own isn't it?!

If you aren't sure about doing a website, Orgsites is a great place to start. </font>

• Free</font>
• Pre-Set Pages</font>
• Easy to Learn</font>
• Put Your information when you want</font>

On the other side: </font>

• Limited number pages</font>
• No Video files</font>
• Domain name gets long</font>

If you find you really have the drive to keep it updated, you can always purchase an easier domain and link it - or go with a whole new site.

We also put out a monthly Newsletter, which contains a small blip on what I can put on our website. I have the website as a footnote on the bottom of the page. We also try to put it on any notes which go home as a place to go. I'm like PTOCES - sometimes, I need to remember that not everyone has been to the site since yesterday and I need to leave the info up a little longer than 20 hours. LOL! A website that's too updated.

You are 100% correct! When our school first started using a web page most of the parents were so excited. Then we got frustrated, because teachers did not update their pages. The Homework Page still had homework listed from the month before or zilch. After awhile you quick looking and then you would get blind sided when you did miss something and their response would be, “It’s on the website.” Huh???

Then our Parent Teacher Group made it onto the web. Yippee again….well like all others it just sat. Now we are up and running again with all updated information and plenty of communication. Its user friendly and very nice. Some of the uploaded memos from restaurants are outdated. The new President is working hard at getting those corrected. In the meantime, you will find a monthly calendar there, committee information, fundraising information, a newsflash, etc…We have found though a lot of families do not own computers. We use the website as just another way to communicate with our parents. We are fortunate that now our staff keeps their pages updated and even put stuff from our site on theirs to help support our events. Our PTG page is linked to our school’s home page. If you can find a person who will monitor your site on a regular basis it really could be a great asset. Good luck!

School websites are a great way to inform and develop a sense of community. They have to be updated consistently or people will quit visiting because the information is too generic or useless.

Now for the bad news, if you are using this forum you obviously know how to use the Internet, enjoy the benefits and enjoy it. But you are most likely in a very small minority. My experience has been that the majority of people don’t use the Internet to the extent that forum participants do. Unfortunately, even having a great school web site will not change that.

If you are serious about creating a school website be realistic. Don’t expect much traffic or comments the first year (12 months). But it must be updated as if everyone uses it weekly. It will be well into the second year before a small number of parents begin to use it. But it must be updated as if everyone uses it weekly. That group should increase slowly over the next few years. If it is updated as if everyone uses it weekly. See the message? You or someone has to be passionate about the project therefore not needing constant affirmation for the time and energy invested. Investment is working for a long-term goal with steady plodding.

If you proceed make sure that the web address is on as much correspondence sent home with the children as possible.

Our school has our own domain www.fortcasparacademy.com but orgsites is a good option. I also set up another club site using www.orgsites.com and like it because it can be updated by anyone anywhere however it has limitations.

God Bless,
Marc

hopefully lots go to ours, no counters 'cuz its on the district/school website -- Have 2 update.. looks loke district was down and the old (July page got uploaded)

I love our website. No matter how many people visit it, all the teachers and parents know about it and if they want to, they can get info from us there. We also send out emails via the members who have signed up. I love it. It's very handy, and ours is thru orgsites too. I am addicted to updating it daily.

We spent a lot of time on a website and no one goes to it except the couple of officers on our pto that wanted it. Waste of money and time.