The Internet has become such an essential part of society that even K-12 schools need to have an informative, user-friendly and interactive Website to convey the rich educational curriculum and student spirit and involvement. The site must meet the varying expectations of the school administrators, teachers, students, parents and community and create a bond of communication among them. Here are a few ways to make your website most effective.

Clean, Easy-to-Navigate Design
The website needs to be uncluttered and easy to navigate from one page or part of a page to another. The type sizes and styles and the colors must be clear and easily read. The website should have its own special look, feel and style that will be conveyed on all its pages. Consistency is needed for brand recognition from the homepage to the students' pages to the teachers' homework section because users could enter the site from many different avenues.

Parent and Community Information
The homepage should include all the vital and emergency contact information so that anyone can easily reach the school and its separate departments. It also needs a quick link to a list of administrators' and teachers' email addresses to allow for effective communication and interaction. A school calendar must be easily assessable and updated every day with all ongoing activities. The more that parents and community members are connected to the school, the more they will feel responsible for its overall well-being.

Student Involvement
Students need to be involved with the website from its early creation. They should have a page(s) of their own, which is operated similar to the school newspaper or yearbook staff. The site also needs to be a resource for students. It provides information about dates and types of school activities, homework assignments, teachers' emails and student participation. The more that students use the site, the more they are connected to the school.

Teacher Reponsibilities
Teachers must also be involved with the website from its initial design because it is a major communication vehicle for students and parents. The teachers need to be strongly encouraged to use and update their homework page as part of their expected classroom activities. They also need to provide parents with the curricula, reading materials, special events and examination dates. The goal is to strengthen the connection between home and school learning.

Alumni Section
Even an elementary school should have an alumni page to demonstrate the graduates' wide variety of future pursuits and the success they achieved through the community's educational process. This special section provides an opportunity for alumni to reach each other and continue their support for school events and fundraising efforts.

Community Interaction
The website needs to be seen not only as a communication vehicle of the separate schools and the school system as a whole, but also of the entire community, without whose support it could not exist. The website needs to include information such as the school mission and vision, future plans, special activities and fundraising events.