My daughter is setting up a home-school-ish program and wants to create an online community. We're looking for any (good :wink advice for where to start? Any software you would recommend? Anything you would avoid?
Not sure where you are headed, but don't forget a "business" page on Facebook. Free and easy to post pictures and create events. The more friends that like and share it, the more free advertising.
If you're looking to stay away from the current social media sites, many hosting companies offer software with their plan that can be installed through the control panel.
Anything from Wordpress blogs to fully functional social media sites and message forums that would all be independent of something like Facebook.
I'm on A2Hosting and I know there are quite a few options in their software installer tool for exactly what you are looking for.
If you go the wordpress route, and she has any "smart" devices (iPad, iPod, iPhone, etc) look into the wordpress app for them. I can make posting, uploading pictures, etc much easier. (There might be android too, but I've only worked with wordpress on web based or apple products.)