When a family starts looking for the right school for their children, they likely open a browser before they ever schedule a tour. They search, scroll and take their first impression from a webpage. In fact, a national survey by GreatSchools found that roughly 70% of parents look online to understand exactly what schools offer.
For magnet and charter programs competing for students, this moment matters enormously. An outdated event calendar or missing classroom photos can send a family straight to the next option on their list.
I have watched this shift happen in real time. As Lead Teacher and ELA educator at the G+ STEAM Magnet Center at Chatsworth Charter High School, I have been managing school communications for more than 25 years — and building that presence through the platform powering our school’s website has shaped everything I know about reaching families.
My take is direct: Parents have a choice. And when it comes to public education, they want the best one their kids can get. So, it’s all about bragging and posting.
Parents are researching schools before they ever visit
A decade ago, families learned about a school at an open house. Today, many have already made up their mind before they walk through the door. Where they once relied on word of mouth or district mailers, they now approach school selection the way they approach any major decision. They research, compare and look for evidence.
That means the school website carries a weight most educators have not fully reckoned with. Parents are shopping for schools now, and their first step is checking the school’s website. Schools that show families what is happening inside the classroom, such as which projects students are working on and what the culture feels like, give families something concrete to respond to.
For magnet and specialized programs, the stakes are even higher. Your school’s success depends on that first impression. For us, it’s what gets parents to come to our tours.
Sharing your classroom work builds trust
Teachers, I find, are excellent secret-keepers. Modest by nature, humble by training, they do remarkable work inside their classrooms and share almost none of it with the outside world.
I feel that this instinct, however well-intentioned, works against the school. With our teachers, I reframe the act of sharing entirely. Posting classroom work, student projects and academic highlights is advocacy. It is a teacher saying: Look at what we are doing here and look at what your child could be part of.
That consistency builds trust. Families who have followed a classroom’s work online arrive at conferences already confident in what is happening inside. The way I put it: You’re not being evaluated. You’re being witnessed. For potential families still deciding, that visibility often moves them from curious to committed.
A website can create a partnership
I am clear about what it takes to move students forward. Teachers need families to work alongside them. You really can’t be an effective teacher unless you’re communicating with the parents. I only have 59 minutes with each student every day.
Students are often navigating six classes, extracurriculars, social pressures and home responsibilities simultaneously. When parents understand what their child is working on, they can reinforce the same skills at home. They will remember upcoming deadlines and support research assignments, so what needs practice gets practiced.
I use mini newsletters — brief updates posted directly to the school’s website — to give parents a window into what is happening without requiring a phone call or a portal login. The tools built into our CMS, Edlio, make this simple. I can draft and publish a newsletter, upload photos from a recent project, or update the event calendar in minutes. When the platform is intuitive, and the design is inviting, staying consistent becomes something you actually do—not something you mean to do. Unless the parents know how critical some of these assignments are, or dates that have to be met, or buy into what’s happening in my class, you’re going to have a much harder time than you should.
Accessible information reaches more families
Families are busy. When getting to school information means remembering a username, resetting a password, and navigating a portal built for administrators, most families simply move on. A public-facing website meets them where they already are.
Accessibility of information is ultimately a trust issue. The same GreatSchools survey found that 74% of parents most likely to recommend their school say relevant information is easy to find, compared with just 20% of parents unlikely to recommend it.
I have seen the portal problem firsthand. I put out a call for families to donate materials for a unit on upcycling and fast fashion, only to hear back from parents who wanted to help but couldn’t find the details. If we keep it in the front, where they can access it from anywhere without a secret password, it’s a game changer.
With a public-facing website, families can find the information they need without logging in or providing credentials. That includes potential families who are quietly researching from the outside, not yet enrolled but paying close attention.
For magnet programs, websites drive enrollment
At the G+ STEAM Magnet Center, the website drives enrollment. Tour sign-ups live there. Student work gets showcased there. Event highlights, project launches and academic milestones are posted consistently. For families considering applying, the website is what converts interest into action.
I have heard it directly from parents. Potential families reference projects they saw online the year before, eager to see what comes next. It starts the relationship. It’s definitely the door opener.
There is also a secondary benefit of a website that often goes unacknowledged. During WASC accreditation reviews, schools must produce artifacts and evidence of practice. Teachers who are already posting their work publicly have that documentation ready. If you had it all in one area, such as the website, it would be so much easier for people writing these reports.
Post, brag and be witnessed
After more than three decades in the classroom and in school leadership, my message to educators is to be consistent.
Post. Brag. Be witnessed.
The website is how I reach my students. The families I want to teach are already searching. A strong, current website gives them exactly what they need to say yes.
Opinions expressed by SmartBrief contributors are their own.
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