It’s one of the most-visited pages on any school website—and often one of the worst designed. The calendar page.

Parents just want to know: When’s the first day of school? Is there early dismissal next Friday? Are we off for MLK Day?

But too often, they get buried in a downloadable PDF, squinting at an image from their phone or trying to decipher color-coded categories with no legend.

If your calendar frustrates parents, it quietly erodes trust in your school’s communication.

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Why Calendar Pages Matter More Than You Think

Your calendar isn’t just for current families. Prospective parents use it to assess your structure, community rhythm, and even your attention to detail.

A disorganized calendar sends the same message as a messy front office.

If your homepage is your front door, your calendar is your daily bulletin. And if it’s hard to find or hard to read, you’re creating friction for the very people you want to feel supported.

We talk more about strategic homepage flow in this post, but your calendar deserves just as much attention.

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What Not to Do

• Don’t upload a PDF as your only format
• Don’t link to Google Calendar with every category and color visible at once
• Don’t make families click three times to find basic dates

Most parents are checking this page from their phones. Optimize accordingly.

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What to Do Instead

• Embed a clean, scrollable calendar that shows month-by-month views
• Use filters sparingly—no more than 2–3 categories (e.g. all-school, athletics, major events)
• Add a “key dates” sidebar or summary list for top events
• Include a print-friendly option but don’t make it the main format

If you’re not sure how to structure your calendar within your overall layout, this post can help.

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Mobile View Matters

Open your calendar page on your phone right now. Can you read it easily? Can you tap and scroll without pinching or zooming?

If not, your families can’t either—and they’re using it far more than you are.

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Want a Calendar Layout That Just Works?

If your current calendar setup is clunky, outdated, or PDF-only, we’ll help. We’ll mock up a mobile-friendly layout that fits your brand and actually helps parents plan their week.

Request a free calendar layout mockup and we’ll send you a simple, scannable design you can implement right away.