Communications Office receives award for new District website
The new WVCSD website design features news stories and a rotating photo gallery on the home page, a webpage for each school, and a wide variety of important information for parents, students, staff and community members.
The Warwick Valley Central School District has been recognized for outstanding achievement in educational communications by the New York Schools Public Relations Association (NYSPRA).
Each year, NYSPRA sponsors one of the nation’s largest awards programs by recognizing outstanding achievement in educational communications.
In the 37th Annual NYSPRA Communications Awards competition, the District received an Award of Honor for its new website, which presents comprehensive information in a clear, understandable way.
The website was designed in partnership with the Capital Region BOCES Communications Service, and is managed by Public Information Specialists, Maureen Westphal, Louise Hutchison and Eunice Cunha.
As the public face of the Warwick Valley Central School District, the website’s purpose is to provide information for users, answer questions people have and reflect the character and excellence of the district and its schools.
Important information for parents
In addition to the elements considered in the design of the website, the communications team recognized that today’s parents want and expect electronic communication, rather than paper backpack flyers and word-of-mouth information.
Essential information, such as phone numbers, searchable staff contact database and directions, is located in logical places and easy to find, while news and notifications are continuously updated and information is kept current. Important articles that are relevant to parents are front and center.
The new website is the “one-stop-shop” for electronic information. Here, parents can sign up for, and access, the Parent Portal, as well as the District’s opt-in notification system, School News Notifier (SNN).
A resource for students
Since most students, and many others, access the website on a cellphone, the District’s new website has a responsive design to create a seamless experience for users viewing the site with cellphones and iPads.
To help students keep current with school news, daily announcements for the high school and middle school are posted each morning. And students can easily find course descriptions, college and testing information, summer class assignments, graduation information and much more on the site.
Information and educational resources for teachers
On a dedicated Staff webpage, resources for faculty and staff members include links to e-School Data, technology & maintenance work orders, benefits information and retiree news and information. In addition, teachers (and students) and can access a large number of instructional technology resources through the WVCSD LaunchPad.
Connecting with the community
Community members can find information about district and local non-profit events and activities on the eBackpack webpage, and can also access District facility use information and calendars, which may be viewed by date and building.
Continuing Education classes are open to the public, and the class list and schedule are updated each season. Warwick Valley High School alumni can go to the Reunion News webpage for class reunion posts. In addition, the website links to the site of the District’s community-based education foundation, the Warwick Foundation for Excellence in Learning (WFEL).
For families considering moving to Warwick
Prospective families can learn much about the District and community through information-rich webpages such as About WVCSD and Academics. They can also find school-specific information on each About Our School page.
Based on the parent, staff and community response, the new Warwick school District website successfully provides answers to questions, delivers the information people need and are looking for and positively reflects the character of our District and schools.