BOTH!
Consider the following. Social media apps and web sites are two different tools that were designed for two different purposes (like a hammer and screwdriver). One is not a replacement for the other.
Social Media Apps
- Get an immediate announcement out such as a lockdown at the school, an accident near the school that might affect traffic patterns when parents come to pick up or drop off their kids.
- Not meant for long term storage of basic information like school policies, extracurricular activities lists, staff lists, academic programs, etc. Social Media generally does not keep history forever and there is no real search to find old topics.
- Used to post information primarily for immediate concern of parents or students. Members of the general public will not typically follow a school on Facebook or Twitter unless they have an active interest in the school which means parents, students, and close relations. If anyone else if actively following a school on Facebook or Twitter, I would question what their interest really was.
Web Sites
- A web site is effectively your school’s advertisement to the world about what your school is all about and why it is better to have your kids enrolled here rather than the other school down the road. If the web site shows a lot of activity, it will lead parents and students to feel proud to be a part of that school. A web site that has little information makes the school look dull and uninteresting.
- Long term storage of basic school information, policies, activities, staff, academics, etc. that students, parents and even members of the community can easily refer back to.
- Information that might be of interest to the general public perhaps because someone is considering moving within that school’s zone or perhaps are moving to Orlando from outside the county and want to compare different schools before choosing where to live.
- Searchable content. Enough said.
Of course there can be some overlap specifically in terms of current news. However,removing current news or upcoming events from your school web site and to rely on social media will also cripple the information that users of the mobile app receive. The mobile app pulls data from both your school calendar (Upcoming Events) and the Recent News as set up by the district when this new portal was implemented.
Examples:
- Social Media only: School lockdown during a thunder storm or a suspicious person on campus
- Web Site Only: Student Code of Conduct, Dress Code, Title I information, etc.
- Both: Results of previous night’s sports event, award to school/principal/teacher, Book Fair announcement, Report Card Distribution, announcement of new school name/mascot/colors.