Scarborough Public Schools launched a newly redesigned website in late August, upgrading from a site that was originally created in 2014. A year and a half of fluctuating guidelines from the pandemic has proved how valuable it is to have a reliable source for up-to-date communication. With continued changes to CDC guidelines and a thorough school reopening plan affecting parents and students, the need for an easy-to-use website as a point of information has become essential.

Prior to the new website launch, the schools utilized Google Sites for both the district and individual school sites. This was the same platform as the Town of Scarborough site up until July 2020, when the town site was upgraded to a newer version. The school prioritized a new website launch for the start of the school year in September to ensure a clear and accessible method of receiving information amidst in-person reopening.

The new school website has a modern look that is easy to use and navigate when browsing the Scarborough School District’s latest news and information. The district landing page, found at www.scarboroughschools.org, is a central hub for all six of Scarborough’s public schools. From here, users can easily navigate between the schools within the district, without ever being far from the homepage.

Another highlight of the new website is upgraded “Search” functionality and featured topics on the homepage to improve ways of efficiently finding what you are looking for. Information like staff directories, student registration, and even school lunch menus are easy to find using the navigation bar and dropdown menus. Each school, while equipped with their own navigation bars, news, and unique content, all share a similar style and design to ensure a cohesive look and feel between district sites. The homepage for each site features a calendar of events, school news boards, and social media feeds. The site also has the option to navigate using a comprehensive ADA accessibility tool called AudioEye.

Updating the school website to a modern platform with improved navigation was a priority ahead of returning back to school. The Town of Scarborough is also making continued improvements to its communications efforts, including revisiting the Town website since it was last updated in July 2020. The Town is asking for feedback in a 5-minute website survey to gather more information on how frequently the website is used by residents, what information is most sought after, areas for improvement, and more.

The link to the survey is available from the Town News section of our website homepage (www.scarboroughmaine.org) or use this link to go there directly: https://scarboroughmaine.jotform.com/211574217680859. Please complete this survey no later than September 10.

The new school website is the best way for parents to have access to the most up-to-date school-related information. To stay informed on all Town news, we encourage you to sign up for the Town of Scarborough email newsletter, sent twice monthly. These newsletters contain the latest from each department, including Public Works (roadwork, trash pick-up), Community Services (kids & senior programs, beaches), Town Council, elections, and more. Sign up by going to the Town website homepage and press the “Notify Me” button.

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