District Administration - June 2008 - (Page 64)

How Well Does This Web Site LEARN WHAT OUR WEB ANALYST SAYS IS RIGHT AND WRONG WITH THIS DISTRICT SITE Manatee County (Fla.) School District www.manatee.k12.ﬂ.us By Kurt O. Dyrli THE MANATEE COUNTY FLA. School District is located on the Gulf of Mexico, just south of the city of Tampa, and includes 42,000 students and 7,000 employees. Design The layout of the home page is distinctive and sleek, with clear sections dividing information and menu items. The heading includes a montage displaying high quality photos of district schools, but it is too large, taking up half of the page. A nearly identical page design is maintained throughout nearly all of the district pages, so navigation is consistent and information is easy to ﬁnd. The district address and oﬃce phone number should be displayed prominently in the heading, instead of in ﬁne print at the bottom of the home page. Navigation The main navigation menu, which includes just six categories, is very simple and easy to understand and is maintained through nearly all district pages. As a result, most navigation is straightforward and consistent. While a site search tool using Google exists on its own page, it should be more easily accessed, with a search entry box maintained in the heading of every page. A convenient, well-organized site map is available for users who wish to see all links displayed on one page, instead of navigating through menu options. Interaction with the User The “About This Web Site” link accesses a page explaining how to navigate the site to ﬁnd relevant information, which is useful to users who are new to the Internet. 64 June 2008 “The layout of the home page is distinctive and sleek, with clear sections dividing information and menu items.” “The main navigation menu, which includes just six categories, is very simple and easy to understand and is maintained through nearly all district pages. As a result, most navigation is straightforward and consistent.” However, to better serve such users, this link should be placed more clearly at the top of the home page, instead of in very small print at the bottom. The home page includes a prominent link to a page with an extensive, detailed description of the new district strategic plan, “EdVantage.” There are no access provisions to aid disabled users. Manatee County’s Safe and Drug Free Schools program has a site within the dis- trict’s site that is particularly well designed. It includes resources such as an online library list, surveys about bullying and drug use, and important forms for parents. School-to-Home Interaction While the Contact Us page has postal addresses and phone numbers, it does not include e-mail addresses. The Parents section has a wide variety of forms in PDF format, from food menus to policies and calendars, as well District Administration http://www.manatee.k12.fl.us

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of District Administration - June 2008

District Administration - June 2008
Contents
Editor’s Letter
Letters
News Update
Technology Update
Inside the Law
Conversations
Online Edge
Speaking Out
Professional Opinion
Crisis Response
Administrator Profile
District Profile
Cutting Costs from the Inside Out
New Literacies: Entering the Future
Online Videoconferencing
Achievement Today
Transporting Special Needs Students
How Well Does This Web Site Work?
New Products
Problem/Solution
Calendar of Events
Understanding the Times

District Administration - June 2008