McClure was inundated with calls. She tried to explain that while stachybotrys mold had indeed been discovered this spring, the state health department said the infestation was confined to a dead-air space under the roof and had advised waiting until summer to remove it. Equally important, she says, were her statements on television and radio, and the notes that went home with students. In 1993, Birdville became one of the first school districts in Texas to set up a web site. Now the practice has become increasingly common throughout the country.
Some web sites are little more than electronic brochures.
One quality is timeliness. People don't read the same news magazine over and over, and they don't go back to stale web pages. Otherwise, people won't come back. This summer, Internet visitors could click on Birdville 's home page and find synopses of recent school board actions and agendas for upcoming meetings. Letters from parents could go several days without a response.