District and School Websites

Responsibility:

• The overall structure and design for district and school Web sites is the responsibility of the Communications and Community Relations department.
• School Web site content is the responsibility of the school principal with support from the library media specialist or designee.
• Library media specialists will assist staff and students in updating content and providing other Web-related support.
• Web pages will be regularly reviewed and changes need to meet district guidelines, policies and procedures.
• The district homepage and general district Web page content are maintained by the Communications and Community Relations department.  Maintenance of updated and accurate content on all other district Web pages is the responsibility of the department supervisor.

Purpose:

• All school pages must be curriculum or school related.
• No personal student or staff homepages or links to those pages are allowed on district or school Web sites.

Required Information:

• All pages must have copyright and school contact information.

  Example: Copyright Notice: No portion of this page may be copied without permission of the Bellingham School District. Contact the Web page editor/staff member at firstname.lastname@bellinghamschools.org; or contact [staff name] at [address, phone].

  Example: Copyright Notice: This material may be freely copied. Contact Web page editor/staff member at firstname.lastname@bellinghamschools.org; or contact [staff name] at [address, phone].

  Credit sources for all graphics and text.
  Example: Page created by [Staff name]; Images from Microsoft products.

Publishing Student Photos, Video or Work:

• Photos/videos, first and last names and interviews/quotes of district students may be published on school Web sites with the principal's oversight for the purpose of school-related publicity, and illustrating student projects/work and achievements, as long as the student is not on privacy restriction for school-related publicity/media. Privacy restriction information is maintained in the student information system. It is the responsibility of the principal to check the list and approve any photos/video/work for publication.
• Photos/videos that identify students in special education require additional parent permission as outlined in Board Policy 4011: Media Relations and School-Related Publicity using Form 4011F: Special Education Permission Release.
• Student work may remain on the school Web pages after the student exits the school.

Internet Links:

• Carefully select for relevance to curriculum and appropriateness to school setting.
• Include brief description of the site or its intended use.
• Link to sites without advertising if possible. Note advertising with the following statement: Site contains advertising.
• Remove or replace broken links and update on a regular basis.

Web Standards:

• All Web sites and pages should meet the district web technical standards
• Pages must load quickly, on and off site.
• All pages must have correct spelling and grammar.
• Content is worthwhile. Emphasize content over glitz.
• Follow accessibility guidelines.