One of the most daunting tasks of being a yearbook adviser is meeting deadlines. However, it is super important -- always being front of mind. In fact, when I discuss the top five things a new yearbook adviser needs to do, finding out those deadlines makes the cut. Honestly, you can't share the book with the world if you don't meet the print deadlines! Making deadlines, though, is certainly more than just knowing when the deadlines are. It's a process, and one that must be started on week one, or before. In this post, I'm sharing everything … [Read more...]
5 Ways to Use Class Time After the Yearbook is Complete
The yearbook is complete, submitted, done. Now what? You have several months of school left, and you aren't sure how to keep your students on task for the remaining days. Does this sound familiar? With spring delivery or even summer delivery books where students take yearbook/journalism as a class, it's often difficult -- and even daunting -- to come up with creative and constructive ways to use that time. As we all know, doing nothing is not an option! In this blog post, I'll share 5 ways to use class time after the yearbook is complete. … [Read more...]
Interview with a Yearbook Representative
Creating and running a successful yearbook program does require a lot, but it doesn't have to be a mystery. While this post isn't designed to promote one specific yearbook publishing company, I am happy to share some expertise from my amazing Jostens representative. With 14 years in the industry, she has seen a thing or two and knows a thing or two about yearbooks. In this interview with a yearbook representative, I am happy to introduce my long-time yearbook rep and friend: Rebecca Kilday. Below she shares peeks into the industry and her … [Read more...]
Yearbook Distribution Day Tips and Best Practices
Yearbook distribution day is both exciting and worrisome for a yearbook adviser. There are so many things that can go wrong, but they don’t have to! I don’t have it all figured out, but over the years I have developed some methods and strategies to help make the day a success. I’m sharing those Yearbook Distribution Day Tips and Best Practices here!Pre PlanningIt just takes a little bit of work up front to make things go smoothly on yearbook distribution day. Halt sales - We sell online and at school, and what’s sold at school … [Read more...]
Tips for New Yearbook Advisers
When I was asked/told I would be the yearbook adviser over ten years ago, I said what any good new hire would say: “Sure!” I had never been on the yearbook or newspaper staff before, and my degree wasn’t in journalism. I stepped into a situation where the previous adviser had left on bad terms, so the staffers hated me – that is an understatement. So, through much blood, sweet, and tears, I eventually learned everything the hard way and on my own – again, another understatement. Now, I am still learning, … [Read more...]