What is this pilot?

The pilot is to use this web site and explore its usefulness as a communication tool for staff and coordinating committee members. Potentially it could be used by parents or even students.

How did this happen?

A parent volunteer, Jason Parker, created the web site using a free tool in consulation with John Leininger and Cathy Crea. It is currently being hosted by ArchWing Innovations, the company Jason works for.

What can the web site be used for?

The tool is very flexible and can be expanded or customized to accomodate many needs and uses. At a basic level the tool provides the following:

• A Web site server and content management system
• Authentication and access restriction of users
• Automatic navigation tools
• User creation of folders to organize information
• Creation, organization and presentation of Web pages
• Creation, organization and presentation of documents or images
• News Items and Calendar Events
• and more...

What will Centerpoint use it for?

Initially it is proposed that Staff and Coordinating Committee members use it for the following:

• Agendas and Meeting Minutes
• Calendar Events - The calendar is shared and can be subscribed to by other calendar tools

As Staff and Committee members become familiar to the system, use can expand as seen fit.

When will the pilot end?

That is up to Staff and the Coordinating Committee. ArchWing is offering to host the site for at least the remainder of the school year.

Give me more information about the tool?

The site is built using Plone and Zope. Plone is a content management framework built on top of an object-oriented web application server called Zope. Both Plone and Zope are freeware tools available on the internet. They run on Unix, Macintosh, Linux and Windows systems. For more information feel free to check out the Plone and Zope web sites:

• Plone
• Zope

What's in it for ArchWing?

ArchWing is a small company of software development consultants that does Zope/Plone, Java, database and Web application development and hosting. It hosts the Metropolitan Council / Metro Transit Web sites. ArchWing believes that having a good Plone host example like this site will allow it to identify future customers for the tool. A group home client is currently using the service as a communication tool to coordinate activity logs, patient information and menu plans.

• ArchWing Innovations, LLC

How can I participate?

Contact the Centerpoint Coordinating committee (See the contact information for John or Cathy below).

I have more questions:

Feel free to contact John Leininger, Cathy Crea or Jason Parker for more information.

• eMail John Leininger or phone: 651-653-2600 x1609
• eMail Cathy Crea or phone: 651-765-1565
• eMail Jason Parker or phone: 612-379-7993

Thank you for checking out the site and participating!