What a year!

It was a year of transition for sure…There were major political upheavals and shifts, we saw wildfires test the strength of communities, a new Pope was chosen, and Taylor Swift only managed to release one new album. Tsk, tsk…

In 2025, education didn’t slow down for a second.

AI changed how families interact with school websites and shifted how parents and students research their options. A major accessibility deadline crept closer each month, and school choice continued to raise the stakes for engagement, retention, and visibility.

It’s been a fast-moving, high-impact year, and we were here for every part of it. With more than 150 blog posts and over half a million page views, we covered the questions districts were asking:

• How do we stay discoverable in a changing search landscape? 
• What makes a site more helpful for families?
• How can we use data and strategy to make better decisions?
• What does 6,7 actually mean?

If you haven’t subscribed to the Finalsite Blog, now’s the time. Each week, we share ideas, success stories, and the latest strategies you can use right away.

Let’s look back at the blogs that sparked the most conversations, and a few of our team's favorites from the year!

Top Motivational Blog Posts

6 Bright Ideas to Help Your School District Newsletter Shine

Inbox competition is real, so your district newsletter needs to “earn the open” and feel worth the scroll. These six easy upgrades share ideas to boost parent engagement and help families feel more connected to what’s happening across your district.

What Matters Most to Districts This Year? (Hint: It's Communication)

Districts are making school-to-home communication their top priority, and the data backs it up: 25% of districts said it was their main focus in 2025. So what’s driving that shift, and what do districts want to improve next? Take a look at the tools that can handle routine questions, so staff can spend more time on the communication work that moves the community forward.

Top Website Blog Blog Posts

The New AI Threat to Open Source School Websites

AI is speeding up website attacks, and open source school websites like WordPress and Drupal can carry extra risk when third-party plugins and themes pile up. It can all be a little complicated, but this post explains how AI helps attackers scan, spot weak points, and move faster. You’ll learn what this means for school website security and why managed hosting can lighten the load for IT teams and strengthen your district’s cybersecurity.

Picking a School District Website: Options, Features & What Matters Most

Choosing a school district website requires a tad more than picking your favorite design. Learn about the main school website design options, from flexible templates to fully custom builds, and what each approach brings in terms of budget, timeline, and long-term maintenance.

10 Enhancements You'll Want For Your District's Website Template

A district website template gives you a strong foundation, and the right enhancements can make it feel polished, easier to use, and built for busy families. See which website features improve usability, support inclusion, and help your district website drive engagement without stretching your budget.

6 Little Lies About Your School Website's Accessibility

Website accessibility can feel like another big task on an already full plate, and this post clears up six common myths that make ADA compliance seem harder than it needs to be. You’ll learn why accessibility is ongoing, why widgets and scans don’t solve everything, and how inclusive design supports SEO and a better user experience for every visitor.

Top “How-to” Posts

How to Gain Support for a School Rebrand

A school rebrand affects everything from enrollment marketing to community trust, so buy-in matters as much as the design. Lay out a clear plan to build support for a rebranding project by listening first, involving leaders, and using data and examples to show how the change will help. You’ll learn how to keep stakeholders informed, reduce resistance, and build a brand that feels aligned with your district's mission.

Approval to Get a New School Website | Reframing the Ask

Getting approval for a new school website often comes down to two things leaders care about most: ROI and risk. This post shows how to reframe a school website redesign as an investment versus the cost of doing nothing… You’ll learn how to build a clear, numbers-backed pitch that helps admins see the value and move forward with confidence.

And Don't Miss These Honorable Mentions!

A Parent-Friendly Approach to School District Communications

Parents aren’t ignoring your updates; they’re juggling too many channels and too little time. This post shares a parent-friendly communication approach built around the “4 Cs” (convenience, consistency, clarity, and connection) plus the questions to spot issues in your school-to-home communication. You’ll learn how to make messages easier to find, read, and reply to, so families stay engaged, and staff spend less time answering the same questions.

Districts Confess: Top Communication Challenges Revealed

District communicators are doing a lot with limited time, and many of the same challenges keep showing up across the country. Using findings from Finalsite’s District Communications Report, this post breaks down what districts say holds them back the most.

Thanks for reading—can't wait to see what 2026 brings!

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.