When it comes to a school's website, the question of "Who owns the content?" is more than just administrative curiosity, it's foundational to building a site that is accurate, helpful, and legally compliant.
Too often, school websites fall into disrepair not because of poor intentions, but because no one is clearly responsible for managing the information. When ownership is vague, content goes stale, updates get missed, and families lose trust in what should be the school's most visible and reliable communication channel.
It’s essential to have a clear content strategy with defined roles. But just as important is having a **single point of contact (POC)** who owns the site from a project and communication standpoint, the person who works directly with your web development company, coordinates updates, and keeps things moving.
Rudder Digital always provides a dedicated POC to every school we work with. You won't be passed around or stuck in a support queue. You'll have one person to email, call, and trust with your site.
The Admin Team: Strategy & Oversight
Principals, superintendents, and communications directors often have final say on messaging. Their job should be to set the tone, establish policies, and decide on major updates or campaigns.
However, they shouldn't be the only people with access to make changes. They're busy running the school. Oversight is essential, but ownership must be distributed.
Office Staff: Gatekeepers of Day-to-Day Details
School secretaries or administrative assistants are usually the first to know about schedule changes, closures, forms, and upcoming events. These day-to-day updates are vital and need to be timely.
These team members should have access to specific sections of the site (calendar, announcements, downloads) and a simple way to make edits without needing technical training.
Teachers & Coaches: Classroom & Activity Content
It’s not realistic for office staff to keep every classroom or club page up-to-date. Teachers and coaches should be empowered to maintain content that reflects their programs, whether that’s syllabi, sports schedules, or permission slips.
A good CMS makes this possible with user roles, restricted editing permissions, and a simple editor.
So Who Should Own It?
The answer isn’t one person. The best school websites distribute content ownership strategically:
- Admins define strategy and compliance
- Office staff own logistics and updates
- Teachers and coaches own their program spaces
And at the center of it all? One designated content coordinator or communication lead who ensures updates are accurate, timely, and aligned with school goals, while serving as the school’s liaison to the web partner.
We build websites for schools that support distributed content editing with structured permissions, simple interfaces, and all the legal compliance baked in. And we back it up with a dedicated point of contact who knows your school, your team, and your needs.
Talk to us about creating a better content strategy for your school site.
