CERRA to Unveil New User-Friendly Web Site

ROCK HILL – July 31, 2008 – The Center for Educator Recruitment, Retention, and Advancement (CERRA) will launch its brand new Web site Friday, August 1, at 8 a.m.

Thanks to the invaluable input from educators and students across South Carolina, CERRA has redeveloped and transformed its most far-reaching communications tool.

“Our highly motivated public information coordinator Mychal Frost researched web design and creatively matched CERRA’s needs to the new technology,” said Dr. Gayle Sawyer, CERRA Executive Director. “We have previewed the site with a number of users and all of us are delighted with the ease of navigation, and the new up-to-date look that will appeal to our student users as well as our experienced teachers.”

With the design expertise and guidance provided by GraySail, CERRA has completed the task of updating the Web site for the nation’s oldest and most-established teacher recruitment organization. Justin Shearer, GraySail’s creative director and the graphic designer for the CERRA project, is a former Teacher Cadet at Walterboro High School. His design is unlike the previously existing site and through his experience with the Teacher Cadet program he was able to create a more effective connection with future users of the site through the upgraded dynamic layout.

We were thrilled to have the opportunity to work with CERRA on this project,” said Hoke Currie, CEO of GraySail. “The new site functions as both an information clearinghouse and an efficient way for CERRA staff to use emerging internet technology to communicate with the students, teachers, and school administrators that they serve. He added, While many of our web development clients are businesses outside the Carolinas, it is a pleasure to help build a web site that is going to have a positive impact on education and teacher recruitment right here in South Carolina.”

The upgraded Web site will contain more current and pertinent information for today’s user than the previous site. The Web site address remains the same— www.CERRA.org.

Highlights of the new design include a striking new color scheme more reflective of the CERRA logo, and grouping of information is now according to audiences’ needs through the “I am interested in…” feature found on the homepage. The site also features an updated and enhanced digital application process for the South Carolina Teaching Fellows program, which becomes available September 1. The Teaching Fellows program awards up to $24,000 to 175 high school seniors who plan to pursue a career in education. Pages for CERRA programs: ProTeam, Teacher Cadet, Teaching Fellows, Mentoring, and National Board; are now consistent in arrangement. The updated site features many items that were included in the old Web site, which are now more easily accessible. Additional features include a search bar and a detailed site map.

Please visit the CERRA Web site, and send any comments or questions to Mychal Frost, Public Information Coordinator, at 800-476-2387 or by e-mail at [email protected].

CERRA, an independent state agency located on the campus of Winthrop University, is the oldest and most established teacher recruitment program in the country. The purpose of CERRA is to provide leadership in identifying, attracting, placing and retaining well-qualified individuals for the teaching profession in South Carolina. CERRA’s programs have been adopted at school, district and state levels in more than 30 states in the United States.

GraySail is a web and data services company located in Columbia, South Carolina that specializes in building complex web sites that are easy to use.  GraySail is a graduate of the USC-Columbia Technology Incubator, a program that helps to launch and support successful technology companies in the Midlands area.