It's mid-summer and time to strategize for the 24-25 yearbook. You don't need to overextend and disturb your summer relaxation, but keeping these key points in mind is important.
Whose Book Is It?
As a yearbook adviser, you are responsible for the financial success of the yearbook and the production of the student-led publication. You will be reporting to the administration regarding the book's production process, with all of the choices, challenges, setbacks, and achievements. Meet with your administrator(s) to clarify how much input they will give in the development, and how often - now and then, or scheduled weekly, or monthly appointments? Both students and administrators will appreciate a clear and balanced protocol. Take time this summer to determine how you will create this partnership.
What Will Remain, What Will Be Discarded, and What Will We Try?
Yearbooks are a record of changes over a specific time. Yearbook staff must be attuned to the school, relevant to culture, and able to change when something isn't working. Consider and reflect on what teaching methods and lessons you taught last year, and change it up. Redesign lesson plans, learning activities, discussion ideas, and research topics to prepare for the new student staff. What new concepts came to light? Which resources can you add to your repertoire? A Curriculum should be fluid and easy to shift as needed. United Yearbook has a curriculum that provides up-to-date resources that you can download. Connect with us on how you can access the curriculum. Be intentional as you prepare for the next school year by learning from the past and letting it be a guide for the 24-25 yearbook.
Prepare Your Students for Success!
This summer, commit to the process of success. During the first week, pull some old yearbooks and have your staff members look through them to find a theme. Lead them in an exercise to write a corporate Mission & Vision Statement that they will refer to all year. After that has been written, have them evaluate how they will meet their Mission. They must create their Statements of Purpose which delineate 3 to 5 strategies to fulfill these purposes. Post these statements around the classroom because they will keep you on target to reach your Mission Statement at the end of the year.
Think about the School Calendar NOW!
During the Summer, you need to consider the school calendar and where the yearbook events need to be scheduled. School Portraits, Yearbook BootCamp, The Reveal Event of the Cover/Endsheets, and the best one: Yearbook Distribution and Signing Event. Also, take note that there may be summer competitions, team practices, student leadership retreats, and volunteer events where you can get candid shots and conduct spotlight interviews. Plan these and assign coverage to your staff.
Connect With Your New Staff!
Finally, and potentially the most important - CONNECT with your new staff. Hopefully, you have prepared or scheduled a boot camp or an orientation workshop for the staff. IF that is not possible, plan an informal meeting at a local library, a park, or a cafe for coffee or boba. This is an informal time to brainstorm and have icebreakers. Use the time to get them excited for the first two weeks of school when they will cover registration, club signups, music, and sports events. Let the informal time be a foundation for a unified team and propel them into a powerful start.
What if I’ve Never Taught a Yearbook Class or I feel lost?
You are our specialty! We have a collection of blogs covering a wide range of topics, a robust curriculum to support your work or add to what you already have, and plenty of workshops for you and your students. Make sure to subscribe to our newsletter, visit our website at www.unitedyearbook.net, & our resource store to learn more! United Yearbook is available to assist you throughout the school year including summer break. We will be by your side.
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Contributor: Lucy McHugh comes to United Yearbook Printing from a 39-year career in public and private school education. She was a former visual art teacher and yearbook adviser. She received a Bachelors of Science in Art from Columbia College in Columbia, SC, a Masters in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Nebraska in 2000, and in 2014 earned a Certificate in Catholic School Leadership from Loyola Marymount University. Lucy enjoys her family, making art and gardening.
Editor: Donna Ladner obtained a B.A. in Education and a minor in English from California Baptist University, and a M.S. in ESL from USC, Los Angeles. After she married Daniel, their family moved to Indonesia with a non-profit organization and lived cross-culturally for 15 years before returning to the U.S in 2012. Donna has been working as an editor and proofreader for TSE Worldwide Press and its subsidiary, United Yearbook since 2015.
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