DBHS mobile app
September 16, 2015
In order to keep up with changing times, Diamond Bar High School has developed an iPhone app that allows students to look up upcoming events and reminders as well as visit teacher’s web pages.
The mobile app was designed by DBHS’s resident web administrator Randy Thomas and was created by Edlio that also hosts the school website.
Since the app costs extra to maintain and the mobile version is easy to navigate as it is, Thomas originally felt that it was unnecessary; however, he was eventually drawn in by the “modern ‘coolness’ factor” of such an app.
Additionally, other schools, such as Walnut High School and Diamond Ranch High, are also currently showcasing new apps for mobile users.
“If you look at other schools’ apps, they’re very complex. They look kind of cool, things slide around, but they’re hard to figure out and it’s hard to get to where you want to get to,” Thomas said. “Truthfully, our mobile website has everything you need. Our mobile app has access to less information, but the access is quicker.”
The app looks and feels very similar to the mobile web page; important information is grouped under different categories, such as “News” and “Staff Directory.”
A bar on the bottom of the app allows users to get directions to the school or contact the school.
Notifications of upcoming events show up on the Home page, and Parent Portal, which many students and parents use to check grades, is easily accessed by tapping on its respective tab.
Links to DBHS’ social media accounts can also be found near the bottom of the app. Currently only the Facebook and Twitter links will open the actual app; the Instagram link opens in Safari.
The app contains less information than the actual website does, and hosts only the most visited links. At the moment, the app is still incomplete. In the future, several other features will be added, including a link to the mobile website, as well as videos under the Multimedia tab, as opposed to just photos.
However, the app is designed to provide easy access to frequently visited pages, so not everything found on the website will make its way to the final app.
Finally, as Edlio only creates apps for iPhones, no plans for an Android version are in place.
