Yearbook Peeps....HEEEELP!!!

[DubaiSis]

A couple of well-known and respected companies have been mentioned here, and I'd go with them. The thing with companies like Jostens is their sales rep will do a LOT of training for you. It is in their interest for your book to be successful!

Ask for examples of books that you could realistically replicate, set a budget and get the kids out making some coin! If this is a low income area, this lesson will be especially beneficial for the kids AND maybe get them through a door where they will one day want to apply for a job. The ads are about supporting the school, even though you sell it as having permanence that the newspaper doesn't, so they can be a bit more expensive. Hopefully your rep can help you set realistic advertising prices.

And if you can sell enough advertising, maybe you can off-set the cost of the books you sell.

[lyrica9]

if you need helping getting in contact with a publisher, i shadowed a yearbook rep at Taylor during undergrad. I also started out as a journalism education major, and was yb editor.. i think i have some lesson plans, resources and strategic plans somewhere, i shall have to find them if you're interested!

[epchick]

Everyone,
Thanks for your all your advice! It seems as though we won't be able to get our yearbook published this year. Our account has less than a $1000 in it, which isn't enough for a deposit with most publishers. Even if we sell ad space, we won't have the money in time for deadlines, and such.

It seems as though we'll be doing it 'in house' again this year, and I'm going to see how much the school district charges for book binding (to make it like a soft cover).

So far things have gone better. The kids decided on their theme (apparently there really hadn't been one in a while since they didn't know what a yearbook theme was lol), and today they are working on what the cover page will look like.

I'm still lost as to what to do with them the rest of the year until everything goes into full swing, but hopefully I'll figure things out soon lol.

[ComradesTrue]

Sounds like things are starting to come together. If this is a position that you will have next year then it is never too early to start looking towards that. If you need your bank account up, then start doing something to raise money so that you can meet that initial deadline. Perhaps start selling ads in the spring, making clear to your customers that it will be for the following year. Explaining your financial situation, along with your hopes for a bigger and better product that the kids are willing to works towards, should help with interest.

Originally Posted by epchick

Everyone,
I'm still lost as to what to do with them the rest of the year until everything goes into full swing, but hopefully I'll figure things out soon lol.

HaHa. Based on what we see here in GC, how about some basic writing lessions? Yearbook class is akin to journalism so this would not be an unrealistic lesson plan. Your kids (and their future college professors/employers) will thank you!

[epchick]

Originally Posted by Blondie93

Sounds like things are starting to come together. If this is a position that you will have next year then it is never too early to start looking towards that. If you need your bank account up, then start doing something to raise money so that you can meet that initial deadline. Perhaps start selling ads in the spring, making clear to your customers that it will be for the following year. Explaining your financial situation, along with your hopes for a bigger and better product that the kids are willing to works towards, should help with interest.

Yes most def! I had actually thought about that yesterday when we were talking about no publishing. Getting the kids to sell ad space above and beyond what they were initially told to do. Right now they are just trying to sell enough so that the whole yearbook would be in color, but hopefully they'll sell enough that some money will roll over into the next year.

I will have them start doing some writing assignments and also some video production type assignments. Some of them are just really unwilling to do a lot, they don't like me and I guess it's their way of "sticking" to me that they are mad that the previous teacher has gone. Oh well....the opinions and feelings of a few 12 and 13 year olds aren't going to bother me.

[DubaiSis]

I can't IMAGINE being a junior high school teacher. All that drama! All those hormones just dripping off the kids. Now that it's clear (to me) that this is a junior high/middle school yearbook, I think an in-house publication will be fine. And I personally think kids respond well to teachers who expect a lot of them, so some of the snot-nose brats will come around, and you'll probably draw in some kids who are actually interested in learning and doing something creative.

I'd still contact Josten's and/or another publisher for samples of what they do for a junior high yearbook. They might be willing to help you out a little this year if there's a chance you can be a potential client next year, and maybe help you develop a fund raising plan.

[epchick]

Originally Posted by DubaiSis

I can't IMAGINE being a junior high school teacher. All that drama! All those hormones just dripping off the kids.

Ha, it's actually quite enjoyable! I thought the same thing before I started working here last semester. Now I can't imagine doing elementary anymore.


Soooo things have changed. I got the principal to reconsider getting it published, so now it's getting published. We are going with Taylor because they gave us a really good quote (Josten's never contacted me back).

[ComradesTrue]

Originally Posted by epchick

Soooo things have changed. I got the principal to reconsider getting it published, so now it's getting published.

Strong work.

Taylor did a nice job with ours, and our rep was always available. Best of luck to you.