FAQ

Why are we changing the District website?

• We have been on our current web platform, Schoolwires, for eight years now, and in that time there have been several evolutions in web design. As a result, our site has become somewhat dated. We have conducted surveys and focus groups of our communities and found a strong desire to redesign the website. We have also heard that working in Schoolwires is frustrating and time consuming. For that reason we have chosen to go with a new vendor for the redesign, Aha Consulting.

Why did we choose Aha to design the new site?

• We have evaluated many vendors over the last two years. After considering each platform based on the feedback we got from our surveys and focus groups, we requested proposals from four finalists. We evaluated each of the finalists on several factors, including cost, ease of use, support and training, and district ownership and control over our content. In almost every category, Aha rose to the top. Aha are experts in a platform called Drupal, an Open Source Software project used by many government institutions at the Federal, State, and local levels. They are located in Lake Oswego, so we will have a local partner we can work with in person over the course of the project. Aha has created Drupal websites for many local institutions, including Reynolds School District, the City of West Linn, the City of McMinnville, and is currently working on a new website for the City of Milwaukie.

When will the new District website launch?

• Our goal is to design and build the new site over the coming months, begin internal rollout and training in late winter/early spring, with a public launch of the new site sometime in the Spring.

Will my content be transferred to the new site?

• No. Teacher websites will be switching over to the New Google Sites, so they will not be migrated to the new District website.

Google Sites? My page isn’t going to be on the District website anymore?

• Your page will still be linked to from your school’s website, just as it is now. However, your page will be hosted via the New Google Sites, rather than the new Drupal website Aha is designing.

Why are teachers using Google Sites instead of the new District Website?

• The two platforms have different strengths, and we feel the New Google Sites will be a better fit for teachers. The New Google Sites provides a user friendly and quick interface for designing and updating pages. Making use of the New Google Sites will give you the tools you need to easily communicate with your students and parents, while saving you valuable time.

A lot of my website content is linked from my Google Drive. Will that still work on the new site?

• Yes. Aha (the new district website) will be able to link to or embed content stored on Google Drive, just as the current Schoolwires site does.

Will there be training and staff development for the New Google Sites?

• Yes. We will be surveying staff on the methods of training that they find the most beneficial: classes, written documentation, online videos, etc. Based on that feedback we will plan training opportunities that will be available in the winter/early spring.