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System set to debut 'more modern, fresher' Web site

By Jessica Groover | Independent Tribune

Published: July 1, 2009

Updated: 07/01/2009 10:06 am

Visitors to the Cabarrus County Schools Web site will likely be in for a surprise today. The school system is debuting its first new Web site in several years.

"We think this design is a more modern, fresher update," said Ronnye Boone, the public relations director for the school system.

Boone and Steve Alexander, the chief technology officer, introduced the Web site design to the board of education last week.

SchoolCenter, a Web site design and development group, transferred the files and created the initial look for the site for $4,000.

Some of the new features include digital photographs rotating on the top right corner, the most popular sections of the Web site listed at the top of the page and the vision, mission and values streaming at the top of the site.

To make visits to the Web site quicker and easier, tabs will be color coded for the students, parents, community and employees and the contact information for the school system is prominently displayed.

"We've gotten lots of calls saying, 'I just need to know the address,'" Boone said.

The usual links to the various schools, board of education, superintendent's page and other information will still be there but with a different look.

One feature that has undergone a change is the Cabarrus County Schools logo, which shows a globe and leaf that resemble an apple. The logo now has a different leaf, and new font and colors.

There will also be a calendar on the main page as a quick glance to major dates, such as the first day of school.

At the board of education meeting, member Cindy Fertenbaugh asked if there would be sports events on the main page, but Boone said there are too many between the schools to list all of them on the main page. These and other school events will still be listed on the individual Web sites.

Another new change is that schools who do not already use SchoolCenter for their Web site will be asked to utilize it so that there is consistency and news posted on the district's Web site can easily go to the schools' home pages.

Even though there are changes to the Web site's look, Alexander assured the board of education and others at the meeting that no new training is required for the Web site.

The new design was received well at the board of education meeting.

"We are very excited," said Holly Blackwelder, board chair. "We think it will be much more user friendly and have a lot more information. It will promote people to use it who maybe haven't (in the past)."

The Web site will remain at the address: www.cabarrus.k12.nc.us