Clayton County Public Schools (CCPS), the fifth-largest school district in Georgia, is set to launch its new website on Jan. 9, 2024. The new website, which has been in development for over a year, will provide a more user-friendly and accessible experience for students, parents, staff, and the community.
New features and benefits of the new website
The new website will offer several features and benefits that will enhance the communication and engagement of CCPS with its stakeholders. Some of these features and benefits are:
- A modern and responsive design that adapts to different devices and screen sizes, such as desktops, laptops, tablets, and smartphones.
- A simplified and intuitive navigation that allows users to find the information they need quickly and easily.
- A powerful and robust search engine that delivers relevant and accurate results.
- A translation tool that supports over 100 languages, enabling users to access the website in their preferred language.
- A compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards, ensuring that the website is accessible to people with disabilities.
- A integration with the district’s social media platforms, such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube, allowing users to stay connected and informed about the latest news and events.
- A showcase of the district’s achievements, programs, initiatives, and resources, highlighting the excellence and innovation of CCPS.
The process and challenges of developing the new website
The development of the new website was a collaborative and comprehensive process that involved multiple stakeholders and departments within CCPS. The process began in October 2023, when the district selected the vendor, SchoolMessenger, to design and host the new website. SchoolMessenger is a leading provider of website solutions for K-12 schools and districts, serving over 10,000 customers across the United States and Canada.
The district then formed a website steering committee, composed of representatives from various departments, such as curriculum and instruction, technology, communications, special education, and student services. The committee was responsible for overseeing the project and providing feedback and guidance to the vendor. The committee also conducted surveys and focus groups with students, parents, staff, and the community to gather their input and preferences for the new website.
The development of the new website was not without challenges, however. The district faced some technical and logistical difficulties, such as migrating the content from the old website to the new one, ensuring the accuracy and quality of the information, and training the staff on how to use and update the new website. The district also had to deal with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, which disrupted the normal operations and activities of the schools and the district.
Despite these challenges, the district was able to overcome them and complete the project on time and within budget. The district expressed its gratitude and appreciation to all the stakeholders and partners who contributed to the success of the project.
The expectations and goals of the new website
The district hopes that the new website will meet the expectations and goals of its stakeholders and partners. The district aims to use the new website as a tool to:
- Improve the communication and engagement of the district with its stakeholders and partners, such as students, parents, staff, community members, media, and other organizations.
- Provide accurate, timely, and relevant information and resources to its stakeholders and partners, such as academic standards, curriculum, assessments, policies, procedures, calendars, events, news, and announcements.
- Showcase the achievements, programs, initiatives, and resources of the district, such as student success stories, teacher awards, school ratings, extracurricular activities, magnet programs, career pathways, and online learning options.
- Support the vision, mission, and goals of the district, such as ensuring high levels of learning for all students, fostering a culture of excellence and innovation, and advancing the district’s strategic plan.
The district invites its stakeholders and partners to visit the new website on Jan. 9, 2024, and provide their feedback and suggestions. The district also encourages its stakeholders and partners to follow the district’s social media platforms for more updates and information.