District Unveils Prototype of New Website
New site promises to be cleaner and easier to navigate.
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The Board of Education unveiled a prototype of the the district's website at Thursday's workshop meeting.
The present crowded, maroon interface will be replaced by one that Supervisor of Technolgy Doug Orr said is cleaner and easier to navigate.
The new site, which will resemble the individual websites currently used by Summit schools, will feature a blog format, sidebar sections for recent news and archived postings, and a link bar at the top that connects with school sites.
Orr added that young artists in schools will be asked to submit drawings similar to Google Doodles (the tiny pieces of art the Internet search engine uses on holidays) to enliven the district's main page.
"It's a way to include students in the website upgrade and make them feel part of it," Orr said.
The site will also present visitors with a brief survey so that they can share feedback.
The plan is for the refurbished website to go live by the end of summer at the latest.
Gordon
9:36 pm on Friday, May 13, 2011
Perhaps the new website will post the BoE agenda in advance of meetings, so the public know in advance of meetings what is going to be discussed.
Kathy O'Leary
5:37 pm on Saturday, May 14, 2011
I am almost certain that the BOE is required to post an agenda 48 hrs in advance of all their meetings according to the NJ Open Public Meetings Act. Hopefully the BOE will remedy that.
Tom Ucko
6:00 pm on Saturday, May 14, 2011
The agendas have been published on the existing website and include the following language:
“The New Jersey Open Public Meeting Law was enacted to insure the right of the public to have
advance notice of and to attend the meeting of bodies at which any business affecting their interests is discussed or acted upon. Notices announcing the date, time and place for this Regular Meeting were sent to all concerned individuals, associations and sent to Union County Local Source in accordance with Chapter 231, P.L. 1975.”
Gordon
9:48 pm on Saturday, May 14, 2011
Tom - I have never managed to find an agenda in advance of a board meeting on the website. Where exactly can they be found?
Tom Ucko
11:18 pm on Saturday, May 14, 2011
Got to the schools homepage at:
http://www.summit.k12.nj.us/
Click on "Board of Education" on the left, then "Board Agenda and Briefs" at the top of the page. The notice has to legally be published in advance with a local newspaper, the muniicpal clerk, and posted in at least one public place. I don't think there is a requiremnet for advance posting on the website if the other advance notice requirements are met.
Kathy O'Leary
9:16 am on Sunday, May 15, 2011
Just to clarify... there are two requirements. One is to post a notice that a meeting will take place which the BOE certainly does. The other is to post the agenda in advance of meetings, which Tom points out the BOE may actually do in some public place other than the website. (Thanks for pointing that out.) If this is the case it sounds like they would be in compliance but it would be good to know where it is posted. However, since the BOE has a website, it would be most convenient for the vast majority of residents if it were posted there.
Gordon
6:54 pm on Sunday, May 15, 2011
Tom / Kathy ... I am aware of that section of the website. The agenda gets posted after the meetings. The most recent one there is for April 28th. I have been hoping to take my son to a meeting for one of his Scout merit badge requirements, but I want to take him to one that is meaningful, but the agenda is never posted in advance, (to my knowledge). I only find out by going to a meeting or by learning what happened afterward on the Patch. I don't doubt they are meeting whatever legal requirements they need to and I'm sure that hard copy is posted on a bulletin board at City Hall or the BoE offices but it would certainly be better if it were on the website. I will give them a call.
Gordon
3:39 pm on Monday, May 16, 2011
A first - Today's BoE agenda is posted front and center on the Website - IN ADVANCE OF THE MEETING! Coincidence or does someone read the patch?