Here’s your May yearbook checklist. Lots of things still to do before you hand out your yearbook labor of love and the year comes to an end.

Have students make cards for EVERY teacher on campus for Teacher Appreciation Week.

 

Conduct interviews for editor positions. Consider having other teachers or administrators be on the “panel.”  Prepare a few questions to ask every candidate, and be sure to find out something fun and personal about them, a la Inside The Actor’s Studio. New editors should help interview new staff members.

 

Get summer phone numbers and email addresses of new staff. Plan a couple of fun activities over the summer to get to know each other. Make sure the new staffers know about your yearbook camp plans.

 

Register for summer yearbook camp. There are lots of options for summer training. Check with your rep, or this list for some camps in your area.

 

Prepare the forms for CSPA and NSPA critiques. Place the check request now so that everything is ready to ship when your yearbooks arrive.

 

Have out-going editors write job descriptions and letters to their replacements. Consider having each staff member do this as well, and give everyone a “welcome” packet the first day of class.

 

Get note cards (Michael’s and Target usually have them in the $1 aisle) and have students HAND WRITE thank you notes to everyone who helped with the yearbook this year. This small, one class period activity will make a huge difference on campus and in the attitudes of the people you go to each year for help and support.

 

Look up the schools that are on the Pacemaker and Gold Crown lists that are also in your same page range. Send them emails requesting a copy of their books for your yearbook library of inspiration.

 

Get sales and parent ad information for next year’s book planned and printed out so it can be included if your school sends out back to school packets in the summer. If not, then it’s all ready to hand out during registration days or welcome back days in the Fall.

 

Communicate with your school’s portrait photographer to find out dates ID pictures will be taken and the expected delivery date of the publication CD. This will help determine when your mug pages can be completed and submitted, thus helping finalize your yearbook deadlines.

 

Put the finishing touches on your distribution plan and build excitement for the big day the yearbooks are finally handed out.

 

CELEBRATE!!!!!!!!!!!! You deserve it!

 

Happy Distribution Day to all of you! Whooo-hoooo! You did it!!