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NAD Adventist School Connect (ASC) Websites

Free websites for Adventist Education Institutions in the NAD

The North American Division (NAD) has made it possible for every Seventh-day Adventist education institution located in the Division's territory to have a free website hosted on an easy-to-use Content Management System (CMS). The NAD territory includes the United States, Canada, Bermuda, and the Northern Marianas Islands & Guam territories in the Pacific Ocean. The free website service for education institutions, known as "Adventist School Connect" (ACC), is the companion service to the free similar service for local Adventist churches known as "Adventist Church Connect" (ACC). The website technology and support service for ASC and ACC is identical. The technology used for these free websites is the tried-and-tested "SimpleUpdates" proprietry Content Management System (CMS) developed by SimpleUpdates.com, a private web services business based in Berrien Springs, Michigan. The ASC & ACC website service is administered by AdventSource, a church-owned ministry resource organization based in Lincoln, Nebraska. The Web Media Ministry at AdventSource provides free technical support for the ASC & ACC websites.

 

The Basic Adventist School Connect (ASC) Website

The basic default website that has been established under the ASC program contains basic information about your school that has been automatically downloaded from the eAdventist electronic database maintained at the NAD Headquarters. This basic information includes the facility address, phone number, some other basic information. The default website home page also contains generic feature content panels that are kept fresh and up-to-date by means of automatic RSS feeds provided by resource agencies under contract with the NAD.

 

The ASC Vision:  "Simple Updates" to Your Website

The ASC website system has been designed so that it is a fairly simple matter for schools to update and develop their default website into a much better site for more effective interaction with school students, parents and members of the local community. A webmaster need no longer be a "techie" who collects information from school and conference leaders, and then works through archaic interfaces and code to put it all online. The job of content input can be tasked directly by school administrative personel who can function as webmasters and assistant webmasters. The true job of the lead webmaster is to view the website as a whole, and strategize the information gathering and communicating effort, and to assure that all of the school's departments are providing their content and keeping it up-to-date. It is an elevation of the webmaster from the grunt work person to the visionary planner of a community outreach portal.

 

Developing Your Default Website

The overall "look and feel" design of the default website can be easily changed to something that better reflects the preference or personality of your education institution. You can choose from more than 20 high-quality web designs known as "themes". Multiple individuals from the same school can function as associate or assistant webmasters to create content (both stories and photos) with a "point and click" entry. Several modules are available to add to your website so your school can personalize the website to best meet a variety of local or regional community needs. These include an online calendar, a principle's message board, school newsletters via email, online school directory, podcasting, streaming audio and video, and other exciting features. When schools develop their ASC website into a larger site, they do not loose the ability to update things themselves simply and quickly, and they are still able receive up-to-the-minute feed content from the North American Division.

 

Custom Enhancements

The webmaster can work with consultants and designers from SimpleUpdates.com to create a more sophisticated website with the exact the look, feel and functionality desired by any specific education institution. 

 

Training & Technical Support

Training and technical support are provided at no cost by the Web Media Ministry at AdventSource via email or the toll free phone number 877-518-0819. They are in the office from 8 am-6 pm central time Monday-Thursday, and 8 am-3 pm on Fridays.

 

Further details are available at: Adventist School Connect.

 

Author:  Will Baron