HIT> Why a Web Page

[Nancy Keane <n_keane@TEC.NH.US>]

Hi.  I gave a workshop at a conference a few weeks ago on the subject of
constructing a school's homepage.  I turned to my colleagues on LM-NET and
asked the question "Why do a home page".  Several people asked me to post a
hit.  Please forgive the lateness of this hit.  I'm trying to catch up on all my 
e-mail
while on vacation from school!
Thanks for your insights and have a great 1996.  (I was determined to
post this hit before the end of the year!!

Nancy
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Nancy J. Keane                          voice: 603-225-0862
Rundlett Jr. High School                fax:  603-226-3288
144 South Street                        email:  n_keane@tec.nh.us
Concord, New Hampshire 03301
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Nancy,
I had no good reason to create a home page, just the challenge of
learning a new language (HTML).
I would be interested in seeing the reasons others give.  Please post a
HIT or e-mail your results.  TIA
--Phil
--
Philip Stohrer
Portage West Middle School
Portage, Michigan
pstohrer@edcen.ehhs.cmich.edu

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I am the LRC Coordinator in a vocational school, so we have a different
situation from most public schools (we are public, though).  We have a
series of Web pages as a marketing tool to promote the various programs
we teach.  We hope to point prospective students and their parents, as
well as guidance counselors, to our home pages to get a closer view of
what is offered and to correspond with the instructors.  Because we feel
we are on the breaking edge of technology, it is also a way to
communicate with other schools and businesses about who we are and our
latest projects.  Take a look at our home page; we envision a whole lot more!
Karen Johnson
Davea Career Center
Addison, Illinois
karenj@daoes.tec.il.us
Visit our home page at http://daoes.tec.il.us!
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I wonder if you could post a hit on that topic.  I too am considering
putting a home page on the net but I find a hesitant faculty.  Personally,
I think they're afraid since the students have a "grip" on technology and
they (teachers) are very hesitant.  I was at first reluctant to work on a
homepage because I wondered why anyone would care about little ole Palmyra.
 Ilater figured why not? so a group of students and myself will begin
working on one within the next several weeks.
Good luck on your presentation!
Shirley
Shirley LeClerc
Sleclerc@mail.palmyra.k12.pa.us
Palmyra High School
Pennsylvania
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We don't have a home page, yet but someone in my school is interested in
creating one.  He'd like to do a "professional" type job but doesn't have
all the info. Do you know where he would find out about how to create one?
        As for your question, I would think that the major advantage is that
it's
good public relations.  The disadvantage is the work involved in creating
it and perhaps the expense in maintaining
>
        ((.)   (.))       Linda Strauss      lstrauss@nylink.org
 ---oOo-----(_)-----oOo-- Tottenville H.S. Library
  peeking over the edge   100 Luten Ave, Staten Island, NY 10312
      of technology       (718) 356-2220 ext 452
*******************************************************************
I attended a workshop on developing your own homepage at a local univ.
The rep from the dept. of ed. really stressed puttin content on your page
rather than lots of great links.  I know as we are looking at block
scheduling that even class schedules and mission statements would be
interesting to us.
Kathy Keck kkeck@ideanet.doe.state.in.us
Crawfordsville High School
Crawfordsville, IN  47933
*********************************************************
I came accross your e-mail about the workshop on a school's homepage.  I am a
student at the University of Arkansas ( I am 49 years old and trying to get it
right this time! ), a senior in Computer Systems Engineering, and I wanted to
share with you my insights into a home page.  (See my home page on the www:
http://www.engr.uark.edu/~dmc4/ )  Netscape is the best way to view my home
page.
You did not say what level school that you are addressing.  If you are refering to 
university level,
then please let me list a few advantages.
1)  A student with a home page ( under the university's home page ) can get an
enorous amount of exposure.  Job shops and employment agencies and company
personnel reps that cruise thru the net can, at a moments notice, find you home 
page and get all
the necessary info on you that they might need for that HOT
job with the great pay they have in the wings.
2)  An individual's home page tells the viewer that the person they are looking up 
knows
something about the net and about computers and the latest technology
that follows.
3)  A viewer knows that the Univiersity or school is up with the latest tech.
That may mean alot to the companies that do not know much about computers and
how they interface with the world.
4)  The school's home page means that that school must interface and get to
know the www.  A familiarity with the www and the listing on the www means that the
Instructors and Teachers' home page will surely follow.  This exposure to
computers is going to lead us into the 21st century on an even heading with the 
rest of the world's
countries who are on the technological leading edge.  Japan and
Europe and exploring the nets and we cannot allow them to get ahead of us or to 
push their
students to get out in front of us on the world wide web.
100push their students to get out in front of us on the world wide web.
5)  The present www is just the beginning.  The whole spectrum of changes that
are ahead of us are not completely visable at this time, but they are surely
coming. We are just at the starting gate of what will be an explosion of
activity on the www.  We need to get in on the ground floor.  We need to get
our schools
feet wet and stuck into the opening door before the whole thing becomes too big for 
us to
understand.
I hope that these points will help you.
Sincerely Yours,
David M. Colclasure
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Nancy,
        I am in the process of constructing a web page for my school to
show the terrific projects the students are doing.  i am finding it very
difficult.  The actual creating of the pages is easy enough.  What's hard
is showing the art work and poster projects.  It's also hard to get
teachers to contribute.  So far, I have about 20 hours into the project
with no end in sight.  The students whose work I have borrowed are really
excited about seeing their work on the 'Net.  That's the original reason I
started this project.  I thought if the kids knew their work could go on
the 'Net, they would be inspired to do it to the best of their ability.  I
still think that could happen if I ever get the thing up and running.
Eddie

Eddie van Rossum Daum
Miller Creek Middle School
San Rafael, CA
edaum@marin.k12.ca.us
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Dear Nancy,
Our schools's WEb Page has only been up and running for a month.  What
has surprised us is the number of former students from all over the
country who found us by accident and have sent greetings. My problem has
been keeping it updated.  I need to get current info from the PTA, the
principal and the teachers.  If you visit us, you'll notice the fall
sports schedules and a welcome back message from the principal.  It has
been exciting to hear from friends and alumni.  Our address is
http://www.erie.net/~olcs/.  We are a K-8 CAtholic elementary school in
Erie, PA with 500 students.
Sue Miceli
Our Lady's Christian School Library
606 Lowll Ave.
Erie, Pa 16505
smiceli@moose.erie.net
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FROM NANCY--
This is what I ended up saying at the conference.  Thanks to all your good wishes
 and your help  Why are schools so excited about producing home pages?
 For one thing, the creation of a home page stresses many of the skills
we want our students to possess.  The studnets must perform research
 before they can begin the home page.  They must organize the
information into a logical sequence.  Writing skills are used as are
 compostion skills.  As the students research on the Internet, they develop
 an awareness of responsible use of the Internet.  And maybe most
 importantly, they are learning a valuable skill for the future.  It is not
 unlikely that college applications and job resumes may be done on home
 pages.  Students who have experience creating web pages are viewed
as people who have up to date skills.
After the home page is completed  -- is it ever completed --  the home page
acts as a place to publish student work.  Many schools publish special local
information on their pages.  Rundlett Jr. High students do research on the
 Merrimack River which will be included in our home page.  The home page
 can also act as a jumping off point for particular projects.  Teachers who wish
 to allow their students to access only pre-selected sites and add these
 bookmarks to the home page for any amount of time.  The home page
 also acts as a place to give back to the Internet.
Home pages are also good public relations tools.  Since anyone in the
 community (or the world) can access the page, it s a good place to recognize
 the creativity of students, special efforts of students, teachers and
 other school employees, volunteers and donors, extracurricular clubs and
 their members, PTO, School Board members and committees, and alumni.
  Just about anyone you want to thank publicly can be thanked online.
 Since the home page can be updated any time, these recognitions can come
 and go as needed.
 Colleagues that I've talked to about why do a homepage site the educational
value of the exercise.  However,  lots of people responded that they publish
 because they can.  Many are fascinated with the technology but a vast
 majority just want their school on the Internet.  I don t think this is a bad
 reason.  After all, why do we put trophies in show cases?  Why do we
exhibit our students  art projects?  Why do parents put drawings on the
 refrigerator door?  Even if only a handful of people see them, they are
still a source of pride and motivation.  The very core of human desire is to
make a mark of some kind on the universe.  If only parents,
teachers and a few community members access our home page, it will
still be worth the effort.  It shows that we have pride in our students