Mount Saint Charles Academy
Mount Saint Charles Academy (Woonsocket, Rhode Island), a Catholic middle and high school, needed a website that not only reflected its rich traditions and innovative spirit but also integrated seamlessly with its Blackbaud database. Their prior site was difficult to update, relied on Divi for page building, and created barriers to presenting a cohesive brand online. The school wanted a fresh site that was both engaging and deeply functional.
What the client had to say
“I’m loving the look and so excited. It is sooo much better than what we had. Exciting times for Mount and thankful for all of your TLC :)”
– Jessie Butash, Vice President
Objective
Design TLC was tasked with delivering a website that:
- Showcased Mount’s Catholic mission and dynamic school culture.
- Integrated with Blackbaud for calendars, faculty/staff directory, and athletics.
- Transitioned from Divi to Beaver Builder for more flexible editing.
- Incorporated video, animations, and interactive features to engage visitors.
- Enhanced accessibility to serve all users.
Approach
Discovery & Strategy
We conducted a full audit, stakeholder survey, and keyword research to guide strategy.
Content & Messaging
We worked with existing copy and photography, while strategically migrating content and maintaining redirects to preserve SEO.
Visual Design
We created a new design system featuring bold typography, background videos, and dynamic text animations that reflected Mount’s tagline: “Be a Mountie, Be Anything.”
User Experience Enhancements
- Navigation was restructured for clarity.
- Over 100 years of Mount athletics history was reorganized and presented in a visually engaging, searchable format, making it easier for families and alumni to explore team and individual honors.
- Athletics team information and schedules were synced directly from Blackbaud, ensuring accurate, real-time updates.
- Accessibility was tested thoroughly to ensure an inclusive experience for all users.
Development & Implementation
The site was rebuilt in WordPress with Beaver Builder, replacing Divi. Custom templates were created for faculty, board, athletics, and news. A staging site allowed for smooth testing and transition .
Outcome
The redesigned Mount Saint Charles Academy website:
- Integrated Blackbaud seamlessly for calendars, directories, and athletics, eliminating additional costs for Blackbaud-hosted pages.
- Delivered a visually stunning site with animated typography and background video.
- Migrated and organized a century of athletics history, making it more accessible and engaging.
- Provided real-time athletic team data synced from Blackbaud.
- Improved editing flexibility with Beaver Builder, empowering school staff.
- Passed accessibility testing, with over 90% compliance at launch.
- Strengthened storytelling with dynamic visuals that highlight student opportunities.
Before
New Website
