Budget – Again, this is something you will need to sit down and talk to your company rep about the first week of school or before. Once you know what the overall bill will be, you can work backwards to begin collecting money. We sell business advertisements and senior tribute advertisements to help lower the cost of the book for our students. I teach in a very rural school district, and I wanted as many students to have the opportunity to purchase a book as possible, so the ad sales help. It’s important to know the end goal up front, so you don’t overspend on book design extras, etc. My full yearbook curriculum has an entire teaching pack included for business sales, etc.
Equipment Organization and Photography – Whether you have a small staff or a large staff with a lot of equipment or a little, there has to be a system to keep up with everything so it’s all protected. My staff has several cameras, lens, etc. and each staff has a laptop as well. Before they can even use the equipment, they must sign a release form. My principal approved my form, and I hand it out on the first day. Next, I have system for check outs. Anything checked out must be signed out and signed back in. For the computers and other materials, each student has a bucket and a cubby. Last, one of the most important things you can do to protect images and keep them organized is to require each student to have his/her own memory card. In the past, I’ve supplied those cards and they get lost, stolen, broken, and/or erased. Once I started requiring staffers to have their own cards, those problems were almost nonexistent.
In all, I realize there is a lot of turnover in the yearbook adviser world, and rightfully so. It’s not an easy job for many reasons: deadline stress, money worries, drama from staffers, un-supportive admin and/or faculty, nosy or apathetic community members, subpar publishing companies, and the list goes on and on. So, if you are a new or newish yearbook adviser, I hope I can share something from my struggles along the way that can help you. If you have a little bit of extra time, stop over by my FB page and watch my webinar on “Getting Started as a Yearbook Adviser.”
So…..my #1 tip for new yearbook advisers? Eat the elephant one bite at a time. You can’t change the world — or a yearbook program — in a day! Be sure to stop over to my other post: Kicking Off Back-to-School in Yearbook Class for some other fun tips!
Interested in trying my Yearbook Bell Ringers? Sign up for my email list here, and I’ll send you the first week free!
Love this content? Join a group! There are already tons of ideas, freebies, and fabulous teachers in my new groups, and joining is simple. Just click over to the following links, answer a few questions, and voila! Thanks again for following along my classroom stories and small-business journey. I really do hope you to see you over in my new “backyards” where we can chat and share all things English and Yearbook.
Written by: Julie Faulkner, updated 2020
Hi Julie! I'm a brand new yearbook advisor dealing with a lot of issues with senior superlatives. Admin has decided to scrap them and obviously the kids are upset. I'd like to find something to do as an alternative. Any ideas or can you point me in a direction? I'm way over my head – all the past yearbook advisors are no longer at my school and really have no one or no where else to turn to (beside pinterest!). Thank you so much! – Kate
Hi Kate,
I'm so sorry you are having so much trouble this year with the yearbook! I can honestly say that I feel your pain! I would most definitely love to chat with you. Let me brainstorm a little about your superlative snafu, and I'd like to hear more specifically what the problem is. Would you care to shoot me an email so we can chat more directly? I can't see yours via the blog post.
~Julie
juliefaulknersblog@gmail.com
This was a great page on where to start with yearbook. I’m starting my first year as a teacher, and I have a yearbook class with 3 students. With so few students everything we talk about goes by so quickly. I’m not sure what I’m even supposed to be teaching them. My lesson plans are completely empty, and I’m not sure where to start. Any advice you could offer would be much appreciated!
Hi Emily –
I’m glad you were able to find my blog! What a challenge with only three students. I’d say the first three things you need to do would be 1) Budget, get with your book keeper and company rep 2) Ladder/Deadlines 3)Student Body PR and connections. Also, I have a TON of resources in my TpT store, and the curriculum bundle and starter kit come with access to a closed private online support group!
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Yearbook-Curriculum-BUNDLE-3217126
~Julie
Also you can email anytime @ juliefaulknersblog@gmail.com
Hi Julie,
I’m a new comm tech teacher assigned to teach a grade 11 /12 yearbook class. I’m totally overwhelmed with how to start them off, and the sorts of projects I can integrate into the course along the way.
Any help you could offer would be amazing!
Hi Julie,
I loved reading your story. Thank you for sharing it. I am new to Yearbook this year and fell in love with it. I do not have Journalism degree and now I was told today that I may not be able to do it this next school year. I guess my question is why is a Journalism degree so important to the the Yearbook advisor? By the way I teach in Kansas.
Hi! I have a degree in English and Teaching and my degree came with a certification in journalism. I think it just depends on the program, but my program is doing really well without that extra degree.