Hoping to Improve Communication, D122 to Redesign Website

Former District 122 school board candidate Phil Adair has made a habit out of begging the district to make more information accessible on its website.

"Anything discussed should be posted, especially the budget," he said, clarifying that although the budget is currently posted, few can understand what it all means. “You’d have to be a Harold (Huang, the district’s business manager) to understand it.”

Lucky for him (and probably others in town) the district has already been working toward developing a redesigned website that will be easier to navigate, offer more frequent newsletter and calendar updates and more photos and video.

District spokeswoman Jenny Zimmerman presented a plan to redesign the district's website Wednesday night to the Board of Education.

“Over the past year, board members and community members alike have expressed the need for more communication," Zimmerman said. "We live in a society where people want instant updates.”

The district's current website provider can do the update, eliminating the need to enter into a new contract agreement. The cost would be between $7,500 and $10,000, but those costs would be offset in no more than two years; the new site would be able to host online newsletters, eliminating the need to print the quarterly district letters that cost $7,000 annually.

“I think we’re on the right track,” board member Sue Smith said, suggesting that the district also post information such as the bills approved that the district pays. “The more information we have out there, the better off we are.”