The district recently launched a brand-new website and plans to fully launch a new app by the beginning of the upcoming school year.
"Our goal is to have (the app) ready to go by the start of school," Superintendent H.T. Sanchez stated. "Since its still July and school starts August ninth, we want to finish out what we need to migrate over into the new app by the ninth."
The launch of the new website and app is part of a plan to better communicate with the community and serve as a new platform for PISD to post district related content, according to Sanchez.
"There is a lot of things happening throughout all of our schools with our emergent bilingual programs, dual-language programs, advanced academics, CTE (career technical education) programs, athletics and more," Public Information Officer Ivan Monarrez said. "We think there is content that probably doesn't get the spotlight that it should so this (website) is just another method for Plainview ISD to showcase the achievements of not just athletics but fine arts and academics."
The launch of the new app and website were discussed during a workshop session for the school board Thursday afternoon. In the meeting, Sanchez stated that in the initial phase, content posted onto the website and app will be in article form. The district will look to integrate video content in the future.
To write the content for the website, the district has brought on Steve Gauntt, minister of Garland St. Church of Christ, to contribute on a part-time basis. Monarrez will help with the behind-the-scenes interface of the website.
Monarrez has been one of the main boots on the ground throughout the website and app integration process. He explained that information between the app and website will go hand-in-hand with one another but also shared some examples of how each platform could be more effective for different scenarios for members of the community.
"It depends on what kind of information they're looking for. If they're looking for a calendar of events or different events going on at a school, the app will probably work better because you can add in the events to your phone. If you're looking for information specific to like registration or anything that has to do with technology or maybe you're looking for an administrator, then the website will be a better place to look for that information," Monarrez said. He also noted that information like class cancellations will still be posted on the district's social media pages.
The transition to a new website and app has been a lengthy process for the district. The district started conversations with the app and website development company Apptegy around September of last year, according to Monarrez. Since then, the district has been working with Apptegy to transition all of the old website's info to the new website.
Monarrez walked the board through the app and what it currently has available. Over the next month up until the start of school, Monarrez along with the developers will be checking through the content to make sure everything is available by the beginning of the school year.
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