School district partners with Blackboard to deliver new websites

The Ponca City Public School District has announced their new website that went live this week.

The district is partnering with Blackboard to build district and school websites that will provide a responsive and engaging web experience for visitors across every device.

The newly designed website is easier to navigate and has a more uniform look across the district. The navigation is consistent throughout the new site, so visitors will be able to find information more quickly. The new site has been optimized to access from smartphones or tablets, meaning viewers can get the information they need on the go.

“We are excited to launch our new website. It is our hope that it will be easier for all parents and patrons to navigate and find the information they need about our schools and our school district,” Ponca City School Superintendent Dr. David Pennington said. “Stay tuned later this spring when we will be launching our PCPS Mobile Communications App.”

Blackboard Web Community Manager is a website and content management system that provides the tools and capabilities to build a website that will serve as a communications hub, engaging all members of the community via continually updated website content, blogs, forms and surveys, social media and other tools. The district will also use responsive web design services to ensure its website can be easily read and navigated on a wide range of devices, from desktops to mobile phones and tablets.

Some highlights of the Ponca City School’s new website include:

• A platform that allows district departments and schools to easily edit and update their own web pages, even from their mobile devices
•  A structure that allows teachers to create their own web pages to offer parents current information
• The capability to be fully integrated with the district’s student information system

The district will also have a Blackboard Mobile Communications App very soon for iPhones and Android phones that allows staff to update the website and produce notifications directly from smartphones. The app will be available for parents and other community members to download for quick mobile access to district information without having to navigate the website. The new mobile app will be designed to keep families better informed and connected to what’s going on in the schools. The district will make the announcement as soon as the mobile app is available.

“We are pleased to add the Ponca City Public School District to the Blackboard family,” said Christiane Crawford, Vice President of Blackboard Community Engagement. “We look forward to providing excellent support and service for the district as they begin to increase their engagement with their school community via the Blackboard web platform.”