July 2, 2024
Rookie yearbooking: tips for the first-year adviser
Making a yearbook is unlike any other subject or volunteer committee. Yearbook coordinators/advisers/sponsors/heroes manage people and processes. They record history and achievements. They are marketers, photographers, designers, and party planners. And we're here to help. Consider this the first-year yearbook adviser guide to organization to help you however you scored the gig: if you showed up last to the PTA meeting or you are excited to use your background in journalism.
If you need to fast-track your yearbook journey, check out our four-part series Yearbook in 60 Days.
Understand Your Contract (*non-contract if you’re in the Treering Community)
Expectation vs. reality is a powerful meme thing. We crafted this list of questions to help advisers choose a yearbook company. If one was chosen for you, use the list to clarify the relationship between your school and your publisher. To quote my mom, “They work for you.”
Treering doesn’t do contracts or order minimums. You tell us when your one deadline is.
Determine Your Page Count
The best planning nugget this adviser received is to start with the end in mind. A yearbook ladder does just that. A ladder is a chart that represents the pages in a yearbook. Use it to allocate sections and page content.
Start with the last few years’ yearbooks, the latest school calendar, and your team.
- Brainstorm the non-negotiable events, sections (people, arts, sports), and yearbook traditions
- If relevant, brainstorm additional features, specials, and theme-related content
- Decide if you will organize the book chronologically, topically, or a blend of both
- Assign spreads to your team
We love doing this digitally because it can be fluid. Need inspo? Here are four sample ladders from other schools (use the tabs at the bottom to navigate between elementary, k-8, etc.).
Pro tip: If your page count is looking overwhelming because of time or budget, combine some topics. If it’s underwhelming, return to number two: what additional meaningful content will you add to your yearbook?
Gather Content
Your ladder is worthless unless you can fill those pages. Harsh (and true). Here are three of our favorite resources to go from blank page to showstopping spread.
Pump Your Project
Many schools wait until the last minute to sell books. Starting sales when school begins builds momentum. These early sales fuel you as a first-year adviser. It also alleviates some of the last-minute pressure on parents already balancing the end-of-the-year activities.
From page count to promotion, these tips will help you stay organized as a first-year adviser. Happy yearbooking!
