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Meeting Date:
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10/29/2021 - 7:00 PM
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Category:
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School and Community Relations
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Type:
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Info
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Subject:
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ACPS Website Redesign - July 2022 Launch
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ACPS 2025 Strategic Plan Goal:
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Goal 1: Systemic Alignment ACPS will build a culture of continuous improvement and design equitable systems for school and instructional improvement. Goal 2: Instructional Excellence ACPS will ensure that all students have access to and engagement with high-quality instruction. Goal 3: Student Accessibility and Support ACPS will ensure students have equitable access to and engagement with programs and supports that reduce barriers to learning. Goal 4: Strategic Resource Allocation ACPS will strategically provide differentiated resources and supports to schools and departments. Goal 5: Family and Community Engagement ACPS will ensure that all families and community members feel welcomed, respected, and valued.
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Funding Source or Fiscal Impact (where applicable)
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This is funded through ESSER II
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File Attachment:
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Agenda Item Summary:
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The Office of Communications is planning to change our vendor for the ACPS website and email newsletters, and is beginning this process now in order to have a soft launch of a new website in July 2022. The Communications team has selected Finalsite as the vendor that can best provide the website and related services we need for effective communications with our stakeholders. We have also completed the procurement process successfully.
Finalsite’s services and software will help further the ACPS communications goals of ensuring staff, families, students and the community have timely and accurate access to information and engagement opportunities, feel welcome and supported, and have confidence in ACPS so that students are empowered to thrive in a diverse and ever-changing world. Our objectives are to do the following:
● Improve the end-user experience — with either a fully responsive or a mobile-first design, a more user-friendly website structure that is easier to navigate, all content meets ADA accessibility guidelines, and email newsletters that are visually appealing and stylistically aligned with our other communications materials.
● Provide high-quality automated translation of our online information — by implementing a robust AI translation service that allows for greater accuracy to better meet the needs of the diverse ACPS community.
● Simplify web management — more efficient and effective use of staff time by simplifying technical functions and giving more staff members the ability to make basic updates to keep our online information current.
● Reflect the school division brand — a clean, simple design that is diverse, forward-looking, focused on our students and is in sync with an environment that provides an equitable, high-quality educational experience that is accessible and engaging to all students.
● Add a vital platform for telling and archiving ACPS stories — our new website will allow us to expand our communications channels and develop rich, compelling, and diverse stories showcased in multimedia formats that highlight our students, staff and programs and build upon the ACPS brand.
● Introduce a comprehensive staff intranet – our new website platform will allow us to separate public and staff information, and provide an information hub for internal communications.
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Background:
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The 2021-23 ACPS Strategic Communications and Community Engagement Plan (to be finalized in December 2021) supports the work of the school division overall, the superintendent and SLT, as well as their department plans and the work of their teams, as well as the communications from each school to families, students and staff. The plan supports current methods of engaging daily with students, staff and families, and expands these efforts to help stakeholders stay up to date and get the information they need. The goal is to support current activities that foster stronger relationships and provide additional avenues to cultivate engagement through an array of communications channels, school-based visits and active involvement.
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Recommendation:
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The Superintendent recommends that the School Board review this brief to become familiar with the plans for the ACPS website redesign that aligns with the school division’s goals and the need for a brand refresh.
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Approvals:
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Recommended By:
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Signed By:
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Julia Burgos - Chief of School and Community Relations
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Signed By:
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Dominic Turner - Chief Financial Officer
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Signed By:
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Dr. Gregory C. Hutchings, Jr. - Superintendent
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