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Launch Page

A group of people gather around a computer screen, looking at something with interest.

Ready. Set. Launch!

Launching your new Smart Sites website is the exciting final step of implementation. Below are the key actions to get your site live.

Preparing for DNS Changes

Complete these steps at least 24 hrs before your Launch Day.

  • Your Smart Sites Implementation Manager (IM) will email your custom DNS guide before your go-live date. If you can’t find it in your inbox, simply reach out to your IM or Project Manager and they’ll get it right over to you.

    Prefer the DIY route? Check out our DNS Record Guide to generate them on your own.

  • To update your settings, you’ll first need to log into your domain registrar, the company where your school or district originally purchased your web address (like GoDaddy, Network Solutions, or Cloudflare).

    Not sure who yours is? Look up your URL at Whois to see where your domain is registered.

  • Think of the "TTL" (Time to Live) as how often the internet checks for updates to your site. 

    Please do this step at least 24 hours before your launch date. Find this setting on the records you plan to edit and change it to the lowest possible value (like 30 seconds or 1 minute). This ensures your new site shows up instantly for everyone once we go live!
     

Making DNS Changes

Follow these steps on the morning of your Launch Day.

  • Using the guide your IM sent (or the one you generated in Step 1), update your existing A Record and add a second one.

    Pro Tip: Don’t delete your current record! Just edit it first, then add the second one.

    Need to double-check? Use tools like What’s My IP or Dig Web Interface to see your current settings or track how they are updating across the globe.

  • Next, you’ll create a connection for each subdomain (like "www" or individual campus sites). To ensure these are set up correctly, please follow the specific values provided in the DNS guide from Step 1. These values are unique to your specific site’s structure.

  • Once you’ve saved your changes, send a quick email to your Implementation Manager to let them know the work is done. They’ll take it from here!
     

  • Almost there! Sites typically go live within a couple hours, though it can sometimes take a little longer. Your IM will be watching closely and will issue your Security Certificates (SSL) the moment the DNS changes show as complete.
     

  • Once those security certificates are issued and the changes have spread across the web, your site is officially live. Your hard work paid off and now it’s time to celebrate your new website!

Find Your Registrar’s Specific Steps

Because every registrar's dashboard looks a little different, we have gathered detailed, step-by-step instructions for the most common providers below. If you are unsure who hosts your domain, you can use an online tool, such as, WhoIs and type your in your website URL and it will provide you with the company your domain is registered with.

  • GoDaddy

  • Please Read Before Making DNS Updates:

    We have found that DNS updates made through Network Solutions can sometimes take much longer to process than other providers. In extreme cases, it can take up to 72 hours for your new records to fully propagate across the internet. Please note that the Smart Sites team has no control over this timeline and is unable to speed up the process.

    For the most accurate estimate of how long your specific update will take, we highly recommend reaching out directly to Network Solutions support.

    Proceed to DNS Guide

  • CloudFlare

  • BlueHost

  • NameCheap

  • SquareSpace

I Updated My Records, Now What?

Congratulations! The hard part is over. Before you do anything else, please email your Implementation Manager immediately to let them know your DNS changes are complete. We need this quick heads-up so our team can finalize your launch and apply your new security certificates!

Frequently Asked Questions

  •  

    Absolutely! If you need to schedule a zoom meeting with your Implementation Manager, please reach out to them via email. They will be happy to walk through these steps with you! 

     

  • Once you update your A and CNAME records, send a quick email to your Implementation Manager to let them know. From there, we will take the baton! We will apply your security certificates, ensure your URLs are migrating correctly, and do a final check. You'll receive a celebratory email from us letting you know your new site is officially live!

  • If a 3rd-party organization manages your domain (like a County Office of Education, Educational Service Center, or Regional Center), you will need to reach out to them and provide the DNS table generated above. They can easily update the records on your behalf. If you aren't sure who manages your domain, please let your Implementation Manager know, and we will try to help you figure it out!

  • These are two types of DNS records to help point your domain towards the correct website.

    • A Record: This points your bare website name (like yourschool.org) to the actual server where your website lives.

    • CNAME Record: This handles your subdomains (like www.yourschool.org or highschool.yourschool.org) and ensures they also point to the right place.

  • The goal is to perform these only Monday - Friday or Monday - Thursday (depends on the team's preference), specifically in the mornings or before 1:00 PM.

    This gives us a full afternoon to troubleshoot if any technical issues arise and avoids leaving a site in limbo over the weekend

  • No. Please only update or delete the specific A records with the name "@" and the CNAME records (like "www") that are listed in your generated table. You likely have other records connected to your student information systems, email, or Google Workspace. Leave all other records exactly as they are.

  • We do! You don't need to worry about buying or installing SSL certificates. Once you make your DNS changes and the internet updates, ParentSquare automatically applies and maintains the security certificates for all your Smart Sites domains. Your site will automatically load securely with "HTTPS" to keep your community safe.

  • Even if you do everything perfectly, it can take anywhere from an hour to a full day for your new website to show up on every network and device (this is called "propagation"). Lowering your TTL (Time-to-Live) settings ahead of time helps speed this up. If it’s been a few hours and you still aren't seeing the new site, you can use a free tool like What’s My DNS to check if the internet has recognized your changes yet.

  • Don't panic! This is completely normal on launch day. It usually means your DNS hasn't fully propagated across the internet yet, which prevents our system from applying your new SSL security certificate. Once the internet fully recognizes your new DNS records, this error will disappear.

  • Need Help?

    Reach out to your Implementation Manager or contact our Support Team for immediate assistance via the question mark in your Smart Sites Dashboard.