By ROBERT LINNEHAN
About 20 years ago this article never would have existed, but today it’s a necessity. School is just around the corner and students and parents alike will be flocking to the different school district website to see their class lists, download permission forms, physical forms, and even track their grades.
Parents and students visiting the Voorhees Township Public Schools’ website can fine breaking news and information, a yearly calendar for 2011–2012, and individual school sites at www.voorhees.k12.nj.us. The site has links to all five schools in the K-8 district.
Visitors to the site are greeted with a “headlines and features” news stream, which is updated regularly with district news. Visitors can also check out the Back to School link, which gives information on the first day of school (Sept. 8) and the activities that students can expect during the new school year.
Parents can also sign up for “e-alerts” by registering on the website, which automatically sends out e-mail blasts to registered users about instantly breaking information, such as school closings and safety announcements.
The site also offers parents an interesting program call “parent portal” which allows visitors to sign up for an account to track the educational careers of their children. By signing up for the portal, parents can see upcoming project assignments, teacher notes, and grades for their children.
There is also a program called the “virtual backpack” visitors can find district information, calendars, and important forms.
Parents and taxpayers can also visit the “board of education” tab found at the top of the welcome site for contact information for all of the BOE members. Additionally, visitors can find upcoming meeting agendas, past minutes for meetings, and information about the 2011–2012 school district budget.
For parents of high school students, they can visit Eastern Regional High School’s website at www.eastern.k12.nj.us. The welcome site has updated news and information, plus a yearly calendar — including athletic events — for the 2011–2012 school year. Visitors can also download previous copies of the district’s budget newsletter, school profile, and Viking News copies.
The site also offers contact information for the BOE members of the district and detailed information on the 2011–2012 school district budget by clicking on the “District” tab on top of the site.
Parents can also sign up for the “PowerSchool” program which lets them track the educational careers of their children. The program can be found in the “Parents and Students” tab at the top of the website.
