Even with graduation nearing and the usual end-of-year pressures, many school districts across the country successfully launched impressive new websites in April, all demonstrating a focus on strong design, ease of use, and helpful information for their communities.

From intuitive design and social media integration to the stories of personalized learning, there's a lot to explore this month.

Let’s look at these districts that recently went live with Finalsite and set a high standard for an effective site that supports school communication and engagement for students, families, and their larger communities.

Spring Lake Park School District

Spring Lake Park Schools just launched their new website, putting the spotlight on personalized learning. Right away, users are greeted with the headline "Learning is Personal," and it's clear that the site focuses on the people – the students, teachers, and everyone who makes Spring Lake Park. It's all about connecting users to what's happening in the classrooms, hallways, and sports fields, and how the district works to make sure every kid feels known and valued.

The homepage includes testimonials from different "Panther voices" featuring alumni, teachers, parents, and staff to give a good sense of the community. The usual (but essential) district updates, news, and events are there, and if you scroll down, there's a helpful district map and contact info, too.

You'll notice throughout the site that the images feature individuals and small groups of people. Instead of those typical group shots or building exteriors, you see pictures of students and smiles, which adds a lot of personality and character to the page. They also have a great section called "Stories of Personalized Learning" that helps users understand their approach to education.

• For navigation, there's a sticky sidebar on the right with helpful calls to action to quickly contact the district, check out the calendars, find career info, or start the enrollment process—all just a few clicks away.
   
• And speaking of easy navigation, between those CTAs and a detailed "Find It Fast" search bar, you can find resources by keyword, use quick links to access menus and calendars, or jump straight to popular pages like enrollment, careers, visit scheduling, and tech help.
   
• The site also provides really thorough calendars and district news pages, which are searchable by keyword, date range, or category to find recent stories about students, the school community, district initiatives, and everything else going on.
   
• Don't miss their enrollment page filled with helpful resources, answers to FAQs, and paths toward enrollment.

Finally, it's worth noting that the individual school sites within the district have a similar look and feel to the main district site. That consistent branding and user experience is a smart move, especially for families checking out the district for the first time. Great job!

Community High School District 99

One of the first things you'll notice is the homepage's hero panel. Crystal-clear video and stills show students actively involved in learning, whether conducting experiments in science labs, listening intensely in class, or expressing their creativity in art programs. It's an effective way to showcase the district's emphasis on learning and the opportunities available.

As a quick overview of the district, the homepage includes a "Fast Facts" section to present key information in an easy-to-digest, mobile-friendly format. At the same time, student profiles feature different perspectives on the impact of the district's staff and curriculum. The soft pastels of purple, green, and blue keep the branding consistent through its calls to action, content blocks, and design elements like tab colors and buttons.

The homepage blends community events, news, and social media to give a sense of the district's happenings. The site also integrates the district's social media feeds from Instagram and Facebook for real-time updates to the district's activities, offering a more authentic way to stay connected. 

Keeping the community informed is clearly a priority. The site features an "Upcoming Events" section that allows for easy browsing of what's happening throughout the district, and users can scroll through highlights or jump to a full calendar for a more detailed view. The latest news stories are also prominently displayed so parents, students, and others can stay up-to-date through its "99 Stories."

While the homepage focuses on showcasing the district's community engagement, the interior pages prioritize a lot of practical information and resources for current families. They're well-organized thanks to accordions and tabs, which are particularly helpful on resource-heavy pages, such as the "District Documents" and "Safety and Security" pages, where these design elements break up lengthy text and allow users to find what they need quickly and efficiently.

Florence City School District

Florence City Schools is live with its new website, and the homepage is thoughtfully designed to get you where you need to go, fast. You'll find many handy quick links to important events, registration, and the different schools in the district, and mobile-friendly icons link out to popular links, like student resources, transportation info, and even dining menus.

To keep users connected, they've got the “Falcon Newsroom," filled will all the latest stories from around the district.

When you click on the "hamburger" menu (those three lines that open up a bigger menu), it's got some great images paired with easy access to departments, directories, and a ton of info about the district. They've also created helpful sections specifically for parents, students, and staff, with resources tailored just for them.

Florence has also integrated the accessibility features of AudioEye, which allows users to adjust their viewing settings and preferences with the visual toolkit—a great way to stay ADA-compliant and improve the user experience for anyone.

Congratulations to Florence City Schools and all the other public school districts that launched their sites in April!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Connor has spent the last decade within the field of marketing and communications, working with independent schools and colleges throughout New England. At Finalsite, Connor plans and executes marketing strategies and digital content across the web. A former photojournalist, he has a passion for digital media, storytelling, coffee, and creating content that connects.