A screenshot of the new USD 489 website at https://www.usd489.com/. The district has also launched a new app for Android and Apple devices.
By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post
Hays USD 489 launched a new app and website last week, which Superintendent Ron Wilson said he hopes will make it easier for the district to share its story.
The new website and app has a series of live feeds as well as easily accessible lunch menus and calendars. Parents can also sign up for notifications from the school district through the app.
"It gives us a better chance to share our school's identity," Wilson said.
The website also has space for large photos of students in action or for graphics with announcements about happenings at schools across USD 489.
"We have lots of stories of student achievement happening in our classrooms, stadiums, gymnasiums and auditoriums every day. With these, we now have teachers who can quickly snap a photo and put a small caption. Boom, that is immediately fed to our live feed on our website and our Twitter account and our Facebook accounts.
"We are sharing our stories and advocating for our schools."
A screenshot of the Wilson Elementary School page on the new website.
You still be able to access the same documents and general information on the website as you have before.
The new website can be found at https://www.usd489.com/. If you have bookmarked the old site, that link is broken. You will need to bookmark the new site, Wilson said.
The app is available for both Apple and Android operating systems and can be downloaded for free from the Apple Store or Google Play.
"With the app availability," Wilson said. "It allows people to get on there instantaneous and not have to get to their home computer or their office computer to check out what we're about."
Jess Reling, USD 489 board clerk, noted the new website is ADA accessible. Someone with visual impairment can use adaptive technology to have the site read to them. The old website was not set up to be used with adaptive technology.
The district's website had not been updated in years, and the district had no app. Wilson said updating the website was one of his first goals when joining the school district earlier this year.
The district was hosting its own website. Now it is paying $5,000 per year to Apptegy to host the website.
