The website for Friendswood ISD has made it to the Top 15 in the Schoole Awards semi-finalists.
          After collecting more than 1,500 nominations and a panel of website experts evaluating the district Web sites based on content, design and overall quality, these are the 15 left standing: Friendswood ISD, Beaufort County Schools, Brownsville ISD, Clear Creek ISD, Godfrey-Lee Public Schools, Hurst-Euless-Bedford ISD, Leavenworth USD, New Castle Cty Vo-Tech, Orange Schools, Polk County Public Schools, Southwest ISD, Spearfish School District, University Academy, Van Meter Schools, and West Fargo Public Schools.

             FISD is asking its community to vote for FISD as the best in district Web site design and strategy. The district Web site with the most votes will win. Each campus website and the main district website have areas to vote for FISD.
             SchoolE Awards recognizes the very best in web strategy, design and effectiveness within the K-12 sector. The district website has now emerged as the single most important vehicle for overall communication and branding. 
             The Schoole Awards were designed to recognize the best district Web sites.  The best Web sites follow good design practices, have clear, concise, and complete content, and serve a purpose: to fulfill its audience's needs.  This is no different for K-12 school district sites.  The Schoole Awards want to recognize school districts that deserve to be recognized and reward them for their achievements in Web site management. 
             No profession relies on efficient communication more than education, and the district Web site is one way to increase communication. School districts not taking advantage of the opportunity of a complete, fluid district Web site will never reach full potential.  It is essential for school districts to have a web presence, and the more innovative that web presence is, the more successful a school district will be.
             In addition to the media exposure of the event, winning districts will be featured in a press release to major media outlets that include national and regional newspapers and news sources, targeted both to your geographical area and nationally. Winners will also be featured heavily within Social media and networking sites, including Twitter (@allofek12), Blogger, Facebook, focused on the K-12 sector.
             The top three winning districts will also receive plaques commemorating the achievement that can be displayed on the district’s website.
             The top two winning school districts will also receive donations that will go to the department that manages the district Web site.
             The top nominated and winning districts will receive feedback from a panel of experts in educational technology, web design and website effectiveness. This will ensure that what is already good will continue to get better. The advice and feedback will include strategies for Web 2.0, use of social media within school districts, getting better classroom websites, use of latest developments in web interface technology and effective use of rich content.
             Winning districts will be notified within a week after voting ends. Winners will also be announced on the Schoole Awards Web site on April 19, 2010.