The school website calendar is the hub of any school or district\u2019s communication strategy. It\u2019s where families, staff, and the community turn to for important updates. But if the calendar is difficult to use or maintain, it can cause frustration for both users and administrators, leading to missed events and disengagement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, is your school website calendar delivering the user-friendly experience your community needs?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
With advancements in web technology, school calendars have evolved from static, outdated pages into dynamic tools that enhance communication. In the past, school calendars might have been simple PDFs, often missing updated event details. Today, modern content management systems (CMS)<\/strong><\/a>, powered by platforms like Google and Microsoft, offer seamless integration and up-to-date information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A user-friendly calendar interface is critical to successful school communication. It should be intuitive, easy to navigate, and simple for both families looking for events and staff responsible for updates. Look for these features:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To test how easy your calendar is to use, ask less tech-savvy colleagues to navigate it. Their feedback can reveal pain points and areas for improvement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One size doesn\u2019t fit all when it comes to school calendars. Families and staff should be able to customize their calendar experience. Can they choose between different views, like district-wide, grade-specific, or departmental calendars?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Your CMS should allow users to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This flexibility ensures each user can focus on the events that matter most to them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Busy families and staff rely on personal calendars like Google Calendar<\/strong><\/a>, Microsoft Outlook<\/strong><\/a>, and Apple Calendar<\/strong><\/a> to manage their schedules. Your school calendar should easily sync with these platforms, allowing users to automatically add school events to their personal calendars. This ensures:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Integration with personal calendars increases engagement, helping families stay on top of school events with minimal effort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Accessibility is critical for any school website, especially for the calendar section, which is one of the most visited pages. Your calendar must comply with WCAG 2.0 AA<\/strong><\/a> standards to ensure it\u2019s accessible to everyone, including those with disabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ensure your calendar has:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
By prioritizing accessibility, you\u2019re ensuring that all members of your community can engage with the school\u2019s events.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Your school\u2019s calendar is a vital communication tool. By incorporating user-friendly features, customizable views, calendar app integration, and accessibility, you\u2019ll create a seamless experience that keeps families and staff informed and engaged.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ensure your CMS provider offers these four essential features to eliminate frustrations and improve how your school\u2019s calendar information is managed and accessed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ready to upgrade your school calendar?<\/strong> Reach out to SchoolStatus<\/a> to learn how our platform can simplify your school communication.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":39,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"content-type":"","_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[485],"tags":[87,77,477,81],"class_list":["post-14395","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-school-websites","tag-communication","tag-engagement","tag-school-districts","tag-technology"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n