Chapter Websites

Get a Website going for your local AATG chapter. The AATG strongly encourages every AATG chapter to establish a chapter Web site. This site is invaluable as it can be accessed by members 24 hours a day and provides useful and important information for chapter members. If your chapter currently sends out a newsletter in the mail, you can cut some costs by distributing it online instead or as well.
NEWS: AATG is offering FREE Web hosting to all chapters in the form of standardized blogspot pages.

Guidelines for Chapter Websites

Each chapter should include the following on its Website:

  • List of chapter officers and contact information
  • Chapter constitution
  • Information on chapter meetings and registration (either to submit online or to print out)
  • Link to national AATG site
  • Link to regional Goethe-Institut site
  • Link to AATG Professional Development Consultant List and a consultant request form
  • Link to site of the state foreign language association
  • Link to site of the regional FL associations (i.e., Northeast Conference, Central States, etc.)
  • Information and, where applicable, nomination forms for Awards (e.g., Certificate of Merit Award, Outstanding German Educator, etc.)
  • Information on testing (contact information for chapter testing chair and information on the AATG National Exam)
  • Chapter Officers’ Handbook
  • Information on submitting online teaching resources
  • Author of pages (i.e., webmaster) and contact info
  • When the site was last updated

It is strongly recommended that each chapter include the following on the chapter's Website:

  • Link to German Partnerstädte (for cities in chapter)
  • Link to homepages of chapter members
  • Chapter newsletters
  • Link to elementary, middle, high school German program Web sites in chapter
  • Link to university/college German department Web sites in chapter
  • Information on GAPP and possible links to GAPP Web sites developed by chapter members
  • Minutes of chapter meetings (perhaps including Treasurer's Report)

Technical Considerations: Where to put your chapter Web site?

Some local chapters have members who have access to Web server space at their school or university. If that member is responsible for your chapter Web site, this is a workable solution, and is often free.
Chapter sites hosted by schools or universities may have some of the following drawbacks:

  • It may be difficult or impossible to transfer or share webmaster responsibilities with members not affiliated with the hosting institution
  • The URL for the chapter site usually carries the name of the school rather than the chapter and is usually long & obscure
  • Facilities like email lists may not be available, or difficult to have set up

The AATG national office is pleased to be able to offer free space for small Web sites to local AATG chapters, with the following features:

  • Easy to use blogspot format
  • a URL that has the form "localchaptername.aatg.org"

Chapter presidents can request Web space for their chapter by writing Martha Williams (martha@aatg.org) to request this.

Important note: Creating Web pages requires a computer, software, and a person with the appropriate knowledge and training. The national office does not and cannot provide hardware, software, technical support or training. The national office will send the login information, and the chapter is responsible for the uploading of information.