Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Digital Services topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Norridge SD 80 board approves new low‑cost website and Smore newsletter
Summary
The board approved a new in‑house website and a Smore newsletter subscription to reduce vendor costs, expand translation options for families, and give staff direct editing control; the site is expected to go live in early July with a brief outage during transition.
The Norridge School District 80 Board on June 17 approved a switch to a new, district‑managed website and a Smore newsletter subscription designed to reduce long‑term vendor costs and improve family communication. Mr. Jobe told the board the district will host a template that staff can edit directly and that translation options will be easier for parents.
"This will cost about $6,000 for the next five years compared to $40,000 for the next five years with Finalsite," Mr. Jobe said, summarizing the expected savings and the district's intent to retain control over page layouts and content. Superintendent Guzik told trustees the site could go live in the first week of July and may be offline for a day or two during the transition.
Board members raised usability questions during the presentation: Mrs. Theodore said the projected contrast between gray and white was hard to read on the screen and asked for adjustments; Mrs. Guzik and Mr. Jobe said they will review accessibility and contrast after returning from vacation. The board asked that the Superintendent Advisory Committee get one more look before the site goes live.
The change also includes a Smore subscription intended to produce a more professional weekly newsletter and to expand automatic translation beyond the district's current three‑language email distribution. No formal vote was required beyond accepting the presentation and implementation plan.
