2015 Back-to-School Site Launches Part 1

Mia Major

New year, new faces, new website.

With tons of new design trends on the horizon, Google algorithm updates shaping our every move, and competition getting steeper and steeper, our schools are working tirelessly to launch websites that are invincible.

And we think they're doing a very good job. Check out our recently launched sites below.

The Website Redesign Playbook

Featured Launches

Nearly 30 new websites and counting...you can tell that it's time for a new school year. And when there are so many awesome schools launching some pretty incredible websites, it gets really hard to pick just a few to feature. Here are a few of our choices — even though we wish we had the time to feature all of you!

Trinity Christian School | Fairfax, VA

What's not to love about Trinity Christian School's new website? Packed with tons of images and video, an infographic, fast facts, college acceptances, and most importantly, tons of little subtleties as you click and scroll that keep you interested every step of the way.

One of our favorite parts about TCS's new site, is their awesome lower-level pages, which can be an after-thought in the design process. Following a clear hierarchy and modular design, TCS ensures that no matter how prospective families get to their site, their experience is top-notch.

And as big advocates of being bright and bold, TCS's new site is just our style. Those cool ghost buttons that change to a bright lime green on hover — we love them! Plus, they're great for marketing and admissions because they draw your eye right where its support to go. Genius.

Loomis Chaffee | Windsor, CT

Loomis Chaffee School already has a stellar reputation and track record for its academic and athletic programs — and now they have a website to match.

With clear calls to action docked right in the header, quick access to news and calendars and an infographic on their new homepage, it's a great home base for prospective and current families. And those little "inquire," "Visit," and "Apply" buttons follow you everywhere you go on the site.

Hint hint.

One of our favorite design treats on Loomis Chaffee's homepage is the "What would you like to explore next?" search box. By replacing the typical "search" box with a statement that invites and engages the user, it makes that "next step" for prospective families easier than ever. We can't wait to learn what kind of traffic this drives to other lower-level pages — as we think it's bound to keep their homepage bounce rate low.

Wilbraham & Monson Academy | Wilbraham, MA

I wish I could say I was playing favorites here as a Wilbraham native, but truthfully, Wilbraham & Monson Academy's new site deserves recognition far beyond a little favoritism.

You'll immediately be wowed by their awesome homepage video that provides an awesome tour of the school's scenic campus using drones. We also love how WMA makes exploring campus life fun with their unique photo slideshow in their "Distinctly WMA" section and their colorful #SocialStream.

The best part? You can explore their website in virtually any language — fantastic for their global community.

St. Anne's-Belfield School | Charlottesville, VA

We tip our hats to you, St. Anne's-Belfield.

Not only did they manage to combine two of of the top trends in web design right now — parallax scrolling and embedded homepage header videos — they did it oh-so-perfectly. The subtle (and really cool) scrolling effect on their lower-level pages is also a fantastic and impressive treat! We have no doubt that no matter where prospective families land on this site, they're bound to be impressed.

And can I mention this totally awesome video just one more time?