Tangipahoa Parish Schools (TPSS) is implementing the SchoolwiresCentricity2 unifying Web content management platform to help strengthen its home-school connection and provide its district and 34 schools with a web presence, it was announced today.
The Louisiana district, (www.tangischools.org) which serves more than 19,000 students, is in the process of going live with its new district and school websites. In the past, the district had a well-rounded website that was managed by the district's Director of Technology, Vicki Blackwell. However, the website was difficult to populate and manage, limiting the amount of fresh content and resources that could be added. Even though all TPSS schools had a web presence, very few of the schools had up-to-date websites because of the level of technical expertise and time required. With Centricity2, designated webmasters at each school can create professional-looking websites populated with Web 2.0 tools. Also, teachers will be able to create individual websites to increase and extend their communications with their students and parents.
"By giving parents and community members a window into each school and direct access to teachers and others at the school, we can strengthen our home-school connection which is a district priority," said Ms. Blackwell. "We can increase our communications and bring the broader community into our school setting."
The SchoolwiresCentricity2 platform will give webmasters at each school the tools they need to create professional-looking sites while still portraying the personality of the individual school. In addition, parents will have access to much more information about activities and events at the individual schools than they ever did before.
"Community response to the district website has already been enthusiastic; parents love the new parent section, and our principals and other users are excited to begin using the new www.tangischools.org to communicate with their constituents," said Ms. Blackwell.
