Are you counting the days till summer vacation? Instead of checking off days, encourage staff members to clean up and close out this year for a fresh start in the fall. Here are nine ways to make the most of the final days of school.
1. Get another opinion. One of the greatest tools in planning and developing the next book is an evaluation of the current one. Send your yearbook to a state and/or national scholastic press association to be critiqued. The judge’s detailed commentary will provide staffers with great feedback and will help make the new book even better. Don’t forget to submit your book for overall and individual competitions at the state and national level.
2. Get feedback from staffers and the student body. Reflecting on the good, bad and ugly can be cathartic and beneficial. Take a day to evaluate what went well and what didn’t so you can implement changes for next year. Similarly, conduct focus groups or round table discussions with non-buyers and buyers to get a sense of the school community’s perspective. Non-staffer feedback can spur improvements in coverage and design.
3. Begin ad sales. Start marketing senior and business ads early. Set deadlines, prices and early-bird incentives to start the buzz. Consider mailing ad forms to every incoming senior to kickstart sales.
4. Promote senior photos. Start publicizing the senior picture deadlines and policies. Despite repeated reminders, some parents and seniors will complain they didn’t know about senior portrait requirements. The earlier you start promotions, the more opportunities you will have to communicate information.
5. Back up files. Come back to school with a clean slate. Back up your yearbook project (all photos and files) on a hard drive. Save the photos you didn’t use for the future, like the 50th anniversary of the school. Try to get all the current material for the yearbook off the network so it does not get mixed up with next year’s book.
6. Repair equipment. Camera equipment, computers, scanners and printers may need general maintenance or repairs. Since some repairs can take weeks, this is a good time to start.
7. Scrutinize your work area. If the floors need cleaning, the walls need painting or something needs a face lift, schedule it now. Once kids are back in the building in the fall, you’ll be out of luck to clean up. This is also a prime time to organize yearbook shelves and camera closets. In addition, take inventory of supplies (pens, printer paper, tape, etc.) to make sure you have everything you need to make it through the first deadline. Establish one supply area for materials used regularly.
8. Recognize contributions. Acknowledge secretaries, janitors and other people who helped during yearbook production. Assign each staff member someone to acknowledge. Include specific details in thank-you notes. Don’t forget those teachers whose classes staffers regularly interrupted for interviews and photographs.
9. Create an order form. Students and parents plan for back-to-school expenses. Placing an order form in registration packets makes ordering a yearbook part of the process. Work closely with your representative and account executive to get your online store set up in the summer so you’re ready for August orders.