So, you’re starting a new school and you know you want to have a website to help promote it but maybe you’re not exactly sure what to include. The good news – and the challenge — is that your options are as wide as the time you have to. At the very least, though, strive to include the following useful and important pieces of information:
- School goals and mission statement – We talked a lot about this in our guide to starting a private school, but it is important enough to mention again. Make sure that you have a goal, mission, or identity that defines your school and what you hope to accomplish. Then, share it loud and proud on your school website for prospective students and employees to see.
- School calendar – If you know the type of school calendar you hope to use (year-round, semesters, quarters, etc.) you can use that as part of your marketing of your school. If you don’t know yet, that’s okay. Utilize the calendar to let potential students and staff know about deadlines, hiring events, or open house events. Plus, having a calendar makes you look organized and professional – traits that prospective families will like seeing!
- Teacher and staff bios – Once you’ve hired some staff members, make sure to show off their qualifications (and their friendly faces) on your school website. Parents will want to know about the types of teachers their children might have and their backgrounds and educational philosophies.
- Curriculum info – If you’ve got some curriculum plans already established, it would be useful to post that. Potential families can get informed about your school’s expectations and requirements and understand what they need to do to academically prepare for your school.
- News and announcements – If you have the time, providing weekly updates about the school is a great way to keep families engaged and visiting your website regularly, and hopefully thinking about applying to your school. You can write about your educational philosophy, interesting things happening in the school planning process, or feature some courses, clubs, or activities that families can get excited about.
- Admissions – Having an admissions portal on your website makes it as easy as possible for families to enroll, which is exactly what you want! If you don’t have your applications up and running yet, start with providing some information on how and when to apply, including your estimated application availability date. This will help families plan ahead and ensures they return once you’re ready.
No matter how much you choose to include on your school’s website, remember that it is, in many cases, the world’s first look at your school and the legacy you’ve begun. Put yourself in the shoes of the families who may be looking at your site – what would they want to know? If you’re looking for inspiration, examples, or perhaps even an easy way to build a site and save time, take a look at our sample sites:
At Twine, we are excited about helping schools, passionate about transforming learning and focused on improving student achievement. We are proud to provide technology solutions that help schools achieve their goals. Need some help setting up a school website or guidance on what you should include? Please Contact us.