Setting a New Standard: How Drupal Powers Shanghai American School’s Digital Future

The primary goals of the project were to create a modern, mobile-first, visually engaging, and user-centered site. They aimed to implement a story-focused strategy that captivates key audiences and significantly boosts conversion, retention, and awareness. Additionally, they were seeking to enhance SEO fundamentals to ensure all audiences can easily find the organization through search engines. 

The project focused on simplifying analytics and KPI tracking, improving site functionality with initial personalization, and ensuring the site is easy to update, manage, and extend over the long term.

How we helped

Outcomes from our initial strategic work with SAS included an updated information architecture, content audit and SEO plan, as well as ongoing consultation to help with content. This included training and working directly with their team of content editors.  Throughout the project there was strong collaboration with the SAS team, holding onsite discovery sessions, feature prioritization to manage scope, and an open mind to trying ideas outside of what was usual for the K-12 sector.

“The team at ImageX did an exceptional job in redesigning our website, creating a modern, user-friendly, and visually engaging platform that resonates well with both current and prospective families. Our new site clearly reflects Shanghai American School's values and sets a new standard for digital experiences in the international education sector.”

- Chelsea Holman, Senior Marketing Manager

Results

This project exemplifies what’s possible when strategic vision, design innovation, and technical excellence come together to create a truly transformative digital experience. The new Shanghai American School website goes far beyond a visual refresh—it’s a user-centered platform that tells a compelling brand story, streamlines content management, and serves a complex international audience with elegance and clarity.

Built on Drupal, the site demonstrates the flexibility and scalability of the platform while pushing creative boundaries in the K–12 education space. Through the smart use of GSAP animations, intuitive navigation, and a modular content strategy, we delivered a site that is both beautiful and highly functional.

Key reasons this case stands out:

• Strategic impact: The site successfully supports both marketing and operational goals, including audience conversion, retention, and editorial autonomy.
• Collaboration: The project was a model of partnership between client and agency, including on-site workshops, iterative design, and content coaching.
• Technical achievement: The implementation leverages Drupal’s strengths while incorporating custom animations and personalization features to enhance the user experience.
• Sector innovation: The design breaks free from conventional education website templates, setting a new standard for international schools.
• This project shows how Drupal can power a world-class user experience that’s as inspiring as the institution it represents.

After launching, engagement on the site improved significantly, with average active user time rising by 70% and engaged sessions per user increasing, reflective of the deeper user interaction. In addition, form submissions more than tripled, demonstrating a substantial boost in conversion effectiveness. 

We're proud that the site has been recognized by the Indigo Design Awards and received runner up in the Education category at the International Drupal Splash Awards 2025.