Qualities of a Good School Website

St. Matthias School, Somerset

For an example of a very good school web site, click on the school name above. Why is it good? Note the clean quality of the website and the ease of navigation. Contact information is present for all staff, and the student handbook, and information regarding several summer programs is also available. Pictures of students are well represented.

Want to improve your school website? Take a look at the qualities section below, then see how many of the eleven questions at the bottom of the page you can answer yes to.

Need some advice? Send an e-mail to schools@diometuchen.org if you are interested in a quick review and suggestions regarding your school's website. Please include in the subject line the e-mail is for the School Website.

What are the Qualities of a Good Website?

Websites that attract viewers and users must have certain qualities that provide the best information and encourage users to return and recommend.

Following are important points of a good website:

Identify yourself - it must be clearly stated on the opening page and throughout pages in the website contact information for your school - address, phone number, fax number, e-mail.

Branding - all pages should follow the same design, color, logo, etc. The viewer must be able to tell they are within your website by its familiarity.

Linking - there should be internal links to take the user back to the home page and other areas of the website that may be referenced on the viewed page.

Proofread - make sure your site is free from spelling and grammar errors. Also, links should be checked frequently to ensure they are correct and "live."

Updated - information should reflect present and future information. Once the future becomes the past the website should reflect the changes.

Informative - survey teachers, students, and parents. What would they like to see on your website? Have someone who is not affiliated with your school navigate through the site and ask questions. The best school website can answer most frequently asked questions.

Ask yourself the following questions:

Does your website contain the following:

Mission Statement
Philosophy
Directions
Before and After Care information
Resources/Links (including school closing information)
Admissions - Policy, Tuition and Forms
Curriculum - include link to the Diocesan website for content standards
Accreditation
Faculty Listing
Athletics - Extra Curricular Calendar of Events
H.S.A. News - Volunteer opportunities