Baltimore City Public Schools (City Schools) serves nearly 83,000 students through a broad range of 201 programs and schools. Under the leadership of Dr. Andrés A. Alonso since summer 2007, the school system has made dramatic gains in student achievement in recent years, and implemented a series of structural reforms to place more resources and decision-making authority in schools.
One such resource - a website content management solution for local schools - has been lacking. As a result, communications are often fragmented and there’s no simple way for individual schools to share their successes with the community online. Moreover, the district lacks the infrastructure to push content to all of its 201 schools and programs.
City Schools recently took an important step towards improving communications and strengthening the district’s support of its schools by selecting a strategic website and community management platform, Schoolwires Centricity. The district also licensed the Schoolwires Synergy digital file sharing solution.
“By broadening and enhancing our communications through our website, we will be able to better engage with our community and showcase the extraordinary transformation under way at all of our schools,” said Michael A. Sarbanes, Executive Director of Partnerships, Communications and Community Engagement for City Schools. “Our families will be able to find timely information about district initiatives and their children’s schools, including classwork and homework assignments and school-based volunteer opportunities. And our community partners will have the information and resources they need to be fully engaged in their school communities.”
The Centricity platform will also help the district extend the reach of its television station, Channel 77, the official cable station of City Schools.
“Large school districts like Baltimore City Public Schools have multiple communities within and beyond the district that need to be managed, connected and supported,” said Edward S. Marflak, founder and CEO of Schoolwires.
