Instructions

Here's how you get information up the web site. This is a lot of information, but once you do it a couple times, you'll see it's really simple

Please use the "Plus" sign at the bottom of every page of any IPSD web site to add documents, news, events and links. All items of information can be added as one of these types or a combination of two or all. Feel free to use the 204-Documents, 204-News, 204 Events, and 204 Links pages as this is the fastest way to make changes to your portion of your school's web site.

News and Events

News and Events enables you to add up to three documents, pictures, etc. Bear in mind that there is list of acceptable file types, and files cannot be larger than 2 MBs.

• Process for Using 204News & 204Events

TIP #1: If you have more than 3 photos, say for a news or event, you can make a Word document and add as many will fit. Captions are great. Be sure to use first initial and last name, or first name and last initial.

TIP #2: News items are listed with the newest at the top, and they roll down and off the front page as other news is added. Depending on your choice of amount of PTA news can be modified from 2 to 99. Just send an email requesting this.

TIP #3: Events are listed with the ones closest to today's date at the top and roll off as they occur. Same as News, you can choose how many you want to display.

TIP #4: Using News & Events in tandem is a good way to get the word out about an important event. Let's say you're having a fundraiser consisting of a student performance and perhaps the sale of other related items. Use news to announce the event a couple of weeks before the event. Add a flyer, ticket order form, and perhaps a donation form for those who can't attend, but still want to contribute.

Next add the fundraiser as an event with the same items attached. By the time the News item rolls off the home page, the Event should be rolling up onto the front page, providing more exposure.

TIP #5: Use the school's listserv as much as possible to promote your  activities. Contact the principal to see how they want the process to work. It's different in every school.

TIP #6: When it comes to photos, quality is much better than quantity. Tightly crop photos that are detailed, well lit and colorful. Whenever possible try to represent the diversity in the school. Clow has a couple of extra digital cameras that the students use to take photos of events with you, and they are spectacular.

REMINDER Not all student's can be photographed or mentioned in any print materials. Be sure to check with the office or the individual teachers at the activity before you start shooting.

= TOP =

Documents

You'll be able to upload individual documents, like newsletters, permission slips, forms, etc., on your own, without Web Services delaying the response.

• Process for Using 204Dox

TIP# 1: Newsletters can be added here and then added to a news item. Newsletters coming from the school/principal are listed under about our school and sometimes make the home page; PTA/PTSA may be found on the home page, but certainly are listed on the PTA's page. Adding the News item and adding the document as an attachment, will put the newsletter up at the top of your home page, which will then roll off as new news items are added.

TIP# 2: Check to see if there is a multi-school form first before putting up a custom form for your school. The Communications Committee felt that some schools are considered better than others; we'd like the make as many duplicate forms the same for consistency across the district. This is part of a Board Goal and a very serious matter. Web Services will refuse any customized versions of forms. They should not be distributed in print form either.

Links

Links are used to provide age-appropriate and safe web sites for students or teachers to use as on-line resources for coursework, projects, research, etc. These academic web portals are organized by curriculum area and then within subcategories

• Process for Using This Application

TIP# 1: Express the titles of web sites clearly and distinctly. Students would prefer to know whether this "Shakespeare" link discusses King Lear, or biographies of Shakespearean Era Writers, Poets & Playwrights. Add as much information in the detail box to assist the student in assessing whether the site will or will not be useful.

TIP# 2: You can link existing documents in your web site as a link. For example, if you have a Graduation Activities Web Portal page, you can link to the school newsletter and let the seniors know on what page graduation information is located. You can cross link to other school's web pages as well.

If you need to remove or update an existing News, Event, Document, or Link, please email Web Services.

You can find directions on how to use these database enabled web products at that web page as well. If the directions don't answer your questions, please email us with any challenges you experience.