What is a netStartClass Pilot?
A netStartClass Pilot consists of one or more campuses in a district that have implemented the netStartClass process and is designed to demonstrate the value of the product with a low-cost investment.

How is netStartClass different from other web tools?
netStartClass is a total solution for getting 100% of all of your classes on the web at the same time and we do all of the work.

Why can’t we just use FrontPage?
Most traditional solutions like FrontPage get approximately 10% of the teachers involved because FrontPage is a web page builder, not a content management tool.

How can netStartClass be so effective for getting teachers involved in web technology?
Because our user friendly interface enables anyone to keep a web site’s content fresh and up to date without having to know any programming languages.

We have tried building teacher web sites before with little success!
Managing web content is not about building web sites or being creative, it’s about providing useful information to parents, students and the community. netStartClass removes the technical and design hurdles and levels the playing field so any teacher can participate regardless of their technical or design skills.

Our teachers don’t have time to keep a web site up to date.
With just a few minutes a month most classroom web sites can be maintained and up to date. Some campuses even use a few minutes a week during in-service as a time to review and update the web sites as a group.

Our campus technology coordinator doesn’t have time to keep a campus web site up to date.
After the initial build out of a typical school web site, updating it with netStartClass usually takes only a few minutes a day. Updating duties can even be divided among several persons, for example, one person updates the calendar, another the Home page, and yet another the Newsletter, etc.

Why do our schools and classrooms need to be on the web?
The Internet can be a great asset to teachers for disseminating information. By providing a calendar of events and a place where students and parents can retrieve frequently used documents a teacher can save time and effort while keeping parents and students informed. For example, any document that is typically handed out on paper can be kept on the school web site for easy retrieval by parents from home or from work. These could include enrollment applications, immunization forms, absentee forms, school health bulletins, extracurricular enrollment instructions and much more.

Some of our Parents don’t have access to the Internet!
Having the classrooms on your campus on the Internet can prove to be a great learning experience for teachers and students even if that communication takes place over the campus network. Students can participate in the process even if it means reviewing a schedule or downloading a document from a lab or the school library.

Why can’t teachers just do their own thing on the web?
In order for the Internet to be an effective communications tool, every teacher on a campus needs to participate and there has to be some continuity to the web content and to the look and feel. Just like other components of the district’s network that are successful, classroom web sites must have continuity and provide a consistent image for the district to the community.

Why do we need all of our classrooms to be on the web?
Having 100% of the classrooms on the web then becomes an extension of the district’s information network and becomes a vital link to parents, students and the community.

Who trains our teachers to use netStartClass?
netStart Web Services for Education will train all of your teachers on site, or provide a training seminar for your technology personnel who will then train your teachers.

Can we access our web sites from home?
Yes, netStartClass is 100% browser-based and can be accessed from any computer connected to the Internet.

What can we do for our campus organizations?
netStartClass sites can be used for groups such as Band, Sports, Societies and more!

How can we get parents and students to start using our campus and classroom web site?
In most cases, you simply have to tell them that the web site is available for their use and convenience. You can do this at PTA meetings, other parent/teacher meetings, through your campus newsletter (soon to go online!), at athletic events, booster club meetings, through the Alumni Association, etc.

I’m worried about posting things on our school web site that some people may find inappropriate.
The vast majority of school districts today have Acceptable Use Policies concerning Internet usage and school web sites, so first consult with your district administration. Our netStart Web Services for Education consultants can also help with samples and online resources for your perusal.