Yearbook Playbook

YEARBOOK ORGANIZATION Yearbook as a Class

STAFF ORGANIZATION The good news is there is no right or wrong way to organize your staff! Look at the number of students you have, assess their skill and experience levels and create a staff hierarchy and workflow that best suits your yearbook team. Not sure where to start? Here are some options: • Organize by section (See the Staff Management unit page 2, in the Yearbook Suite Curriculum) - Editor(s)-in-chief - Section Editors (Student Life, Academics, Organizations, Sports, People, Reference) - Staff Reporters - remaining staff is separated into the above sections and are assigned a spread to complete. • Organize by function - Editor(s)-in-chief - Photo Editor(s), Copy Editor(s), Design Editor(s) - Photographers, Writers, Designers - Each spread in the book is assigned a photographer, a writer and a designer, and these students work as a team on completing the spread content. Consider adding these additional positions based on your staff: • Marketing Manager & Sales Team • Business Manager - organizes and manages parent & business ads • Quality Control (Name Checker) - proofing & editing spread content, name spellings, grades, titles, etc… • Morale Chair - in charge of celebrations and positive reinforcement

Empower students to lead the class/club as much as possible. The more students take ownership over the publication, the more successful it will be. • First Five - the beginning of class (the first five minutes) is for the editors/leaders to make announcements and set goals for production that day. • Set a space aside in the classroom for editors/leaders to have an “office.” • Consult editors/leaders on staff workflow and needs. Yearbook as a Club With a little extra motivation, yearbook clubs can be just as productive as yearbook classes! • Plan to attend a camp or workshop to get club members comprehensive yearbook training. • Plan for extra work days/nights near deadlines. - Make “theme” work days/nights (i.e., “Hawaiian” work day - wear Hawaiian shirts, decorate the room, tropical food, music, etc.). • Offer incentives for completing deadlines, such as earning a free yearbook or ad. Consider collaborating with other organizations on campus to offer yearbook staff free entry into sporting events, theater productions or even discounts on homecoming/prom tickets. What If I’m All Alone? Even if you don’t have a yearbook staff or club, you’re never alone! • Use Yearbook Snap to crowdsource photos from the school community. - Ask your admin if you can share Yearbook Snap in a faculty meeting at the beginning of the year to show teachers how to use the app. - Use this opportunity to emphasize that the yearbook is a community effort, and we need everyone’s help to ensure all students are featured. • Recruit teachers and/or office staff to help proof portrait pages and name spellings. - Consider meeting off-campus at a local coffee shop or bookstore to keep things interesting/special.

• Recruit parent volunteers to be your “photography team” to help supply candid photos of school events. • Send out surveys or post questions on school social media accounts to get student quotes about events.

6