If you enjoyed Memorial Day, you’re definitely ready for the lazy days of summer. While some schools have already wrapped for the year, we wanted to round up three last-minute things to do.
1. Update contact information. Make sure you have phone numbers and social media info for all your returning students. If you’re meeting this summer for 2022 planning, put tentative dates on the calendar.
2. Change your voicemail and email settings. Update your email auto reply and voicemail to share accurate information about yearbook availability and where ordered books can be picked up over the summer. (Ahem, if you haven’t made a plan for orders not picked up, do that before you lock up!)
If your book is a summer or fall delivery, relay that information on your voicemail and auto email reply. And be sure to have social media and eMarketing posts scheduled to promote the big day.
3. Submit your book for critiques and awards. This is the best way to improve your book and bring recognition to your program. Start by joining your state journalism organization and submitting the yearbook for critique. A critique will provide a strong assessment of what your program is excelling at and what needs work. This is a great starting point for setting coverage and design goals for future books.
If financially possible, consider joining national organizations like the Columbia Scholastic Press Association and the National Scholastic Press Association. Both memberships include critiques and awards submissions.
Deadlines: CSPA’s membership for spring books is due June 11, which includes the Crown awards competition. CSPA’s individual contests, the Gold Circles, are not due till October (although this is the perfect time to have seniors pick the best work to submit). While NSPA’s Pacemaker entries are not due till late fall, the 2021 Individual Awards deadline is June 25. There are numerous categories, including for the middle school level. Every year, Balfour has several schools become finalists and we’d love for your school to be one of the winners!
That’s it. Really, we’re done. It’s been an exhausting year and we know you’re exhausted too. We hope you’ll take time to relax and recharge this summer. We also hope to see you at our national workshops this summer. In the meantime, take care and we’ll catch you for Tuesday Tips in the fall.