Pulling a few together into one...

As as teacher it helps to have a website.  There is a lot of information that students and parents need to know or like to know and to prevent phone calls and emails galore, a website is a great resource to have.  HCPSS just started GAfE, which Sam has done a great job commenting and posting on.  In racking my brain about and searching for Web 2.0 sites I use or could use, I didn't want to post something similar to her.  Plus, she covered it all so well.  Instead I use Weebly to create my site.

http://cmspresorch.weebly.com/

I have two schools and 240 students between the two of them.  At CMS I have two classes daily, but my 10 additional sectionals rotate on a 4-week schedule.  At PRES I have 16 classes I see twice each week and they rotate on a separate 4-week schedule.  The GAfE calendar is the best way for me to help parents keep track of what is happening.  Just like me, quite a few of my CMS students, and to my knowledge just about all parents at both schools have told me they have imported the Google Calendar into their smart phones.  

Again using Google, I have created many simple forms for my students turn in practice logs, theory homework assignments, and at start of the year PRES students used one to enroll.  Once students/parents have submitted their information, I use the excel sheet that automatically is created to help with my grading.  I enter formulas and "if/than" statements to help me quickly put grades into ASPEN, our HCPSS report card and grade book site.

One of the last features that Weebly allows me to easily post are webpages that house recordings of my students, PDF's of schedules, and music for parents and students to have access to.  The music and recordings can sit on password protected webpages for only students to access.  

The Weebly site uses a WYSIWYG format for users to edit and create webpages.  I can pick different layouts, designs, click and drag elements onto pages.  The site takes care of the HTML and CSS sheets for me.  I am left to enter content and pick out the design elements I want.