Gull Lake High School Yearbook 7753 North 34th Street Richland MI 49083 (269) 488-5020 Yearbook Staff Manual 2010-11 3x
Staff Manual Purpose This manual exists to help new and old staff members quickly get a handle on how the yearbook works It is imperative that time is taken to read this entire manual Inside you will find information on exactly what your responsibilities are, general rules, guidelines and helpful tips Proper use of this manual will make your experience with the yearbook this year as productive and painless as possible Yearbook Staff Manual Contents Course Guidelines/Syllabus---------------------------- 3 Classroom procedure------------------------------------ 4 Grading------------------------------------------------------ 5 Yearbook Room Rules----------------------------------- 5 Ethical Standards----------------------------------------- 6 Administrative Policies----------------------------------- 7 Staff Complaint/Dispute Procedures----------------- 7 2
Yearbook Course Guidelines/Syllabus Advisor: Mrs Cheryl A Jolin Text(s)/Supplemental Teaching Materials: The Radical Write by Bobby Hawthorne Scholastic Journalism Materials supplied by Walsworth Publishing Miscellaneous handouts and videos Course Contents: (not necessarily is this order) Marketing: sales strategies, yearbook sales, ad sales and ad design Photography: camera equipment use and care, basics of photography Copy Writing: Feature, caption, headline, editing and proofreading Desktop Publishing: InDesign, Illustrator and PhotoShop (Walsworth plug ins) Course Objectives: 3 5 7 9 0 To publish a yearbook that is produced by the students with the exception of the printing The primary audience is the student body; however, the yearbook serves the entire school community: students, faculty, administrators and Board To master all core knowledge required for the completion of a successful yearbook To apply writing and layout skills in the production of a school yearbook, meeting all deadlines in a professional manner To adopt an editorial policy based on common sense and good taste, demonstrating the knowledge that the yearbook is a public trust with responsibility to be objective and meaningful To develop critical thinking and evaluative skills through analysis of the success of each segment of the yearbook To design page layouts using creativity as well as the principles of contrast, repetition, alignment and proximity taught in class To finance the printing and production of yearbook through the selling of advertisements, fund raisers and book sales To sell ads to local businesses that have a service or products that a teenager can use To design ads that appeal to a teenagers needs as well as applying the principles of contrast, repetition, alignment and proximity taught in class To use computers and technology to produce the yearbook To be an important and vital member of the staff by writing, helping in production, helping with design, selling and designing ads and evaluating the product To conduct themselves in a professional manner and show respect for themselves and others Course Expectations Students will: 3 5 7 9 0 master all key concepts during the first semester participate in design, taking pictures, doing mock-ups and creating artwork or graphics contact people for ads and sell an ad copy read your own and other staff members pages for errors and give layout suggestions and help other staff members by giving constructive suggestions set up, prepare and interview students/staff for assigned pages hand in rough draft of copy block to copy editor, revise and turn copy block into advisor with rough copy attaching, following deadlines provided hand in rough draft of pages to editors, revise immediately and print and hand and revise again and again until corrected, following deadlines provided read and critique different schools yearbooks complete and hand in class assignments on time take assigned notes 3
keep a three-ring binder with all lessons, notes, rough copy, picture captions, copies/revisions of pages and copy blocks along with deadlines in organized folder etc inside staff member s designated cubbie keep spiral notebook for interview questions and interviews 3 fill out a time sheet as to what they did weekly, documenting what they did for their points and turn in at end of week Upon return keep organized in three-ring binder keep track of personal ad sale(s) in same folder Classroom Procedure Student will be seated when bell rings and ready to listen to advisor s or editors directions and/or concerns Once the information is given, staff members will work on yearbook assignments If a student leaves the classroom, they must have a press pass and have it visible on their person Students leaving room must also tell the advisor where they are going and why They must also sign the OUT BOARD as to their destination, purpose and time left Students must cross out their names when they return to the room Staff who do not follow this policy will lose their productivity points for that day Staff member may also be written up for skipping and lose hall pass privileges 3 Students are to return their yearbook press passes to their designated spot after each use Students may only use press passes for the purpose of covering an event they are responsible for, and students who abuse this policy will be written up, lose press pass, and may be removed from this class Students must return to the room when done interviewing Students who do not will have their productivity grade reduced Repeated abuse of press pass privilege can result in removal from assignment or staff 5 Students must return to the room at 2:00 unless otherwise arranged Being late will result in loss of productivity points for the day Repeated tardiness will result in loss of press pass privilege Failure to return to class be considered absent for that class period and referral for skipping Students are expected to meet all deadlines even if it means finishing the assignment during lunch or before or after school If students do not meet deadline or fail to fulfill other responsibilities, the advisor or editors will reduce their grade Failure to complete pages or take photos by deadline before the last day of class will result in an incomplete and may be changed to a E and failure in the class 7 Students are expected to back up all material and save it All original digital pictures you take you are responsible for immediately downloading and saving to the master file and your own shared folder on a computer Failure to do this can not only result in the loss of picture, but a loss in points If a student is ill or not in school, that student should notify the advisor by phone or in person if it means missing a deadline or special event that must be covered Failure to do so will result in reduction or loss of credit for that deadline assignment 9 Students must sign out cameras and tape recorders according to procedure taught in class No cameras can be in your possession for longer than one day unless special permission is given Students who fail to properly sign out and return cameras will have their grade reduced, have privilege of checking out camera suspended and charged for equipment if not returned 0 Students must pick up the room and area they worked before being excused Failing to not put away disks, notebooks, put up chairs and put away possessions into proper places results in point deduction Students must record all photographs taken in binder, identifying both subjects and action Failure to keep record of this will result in reduction in grade Grading Every student starts with an A What you do to keep that A depends on you It is up to you to turn in and keep track of your work Keep everything in a three ring binder folder You will be graded on the contents of this folder Below is a break down of how your grade is determined in class 4 The number one reason for a lower grade is not meeting a deadline Rough copy blocks, revision, final copy blocks, photos, captions, rough pages, revised pages, and final pages all have different due dates These dates are give well in advanced, are posted in multiple places in the room, and it is required that you record these dates in your class folder It is your responsibility to transfer this information into your class folder and stay on target The number two reason for a lower grade is failure to follow yearbook requirements You and you alone are
responsible for taking the pictures, interviewing and writing copy for your pages This means you must go to the event or activity and interview the necessary people Captions for pictures need to be precise Names must be spelled correctly Failure to do this will significantly lower your grade You must follow the style guide and templates set up by the editors and make all corrections to rough copies of your pages or the grade on your final page will be reduced significantly A list of yearbook requirements will be given to you and are to be kept in your folder MARKING PERIOD GRADE BREAKDOWN Productivity: this includes (but not limited to) returning to class on time, correctly signing in and out or class to interview, correctly signing in and out cameras and tape recorders, editing your own and other students pages, using time constructively, participating in brainstorming, having a positive attitude, cleaning up room, filling out weekly reports and keeping your three-ring binder organized 10% each tri marking period Ad Sales: As a member of the yearbook staff, you are required to sell only one ad This must be sold and turned over to the business editor before the end of the first marking period in the second trimester You will be trained at the beginning of the first tri on how to sell ads 10 % first marking period second tri only Assignments: Students should expect some assignments other than their jobs on staff These assignments will be designed to improve and to assess students abilities in areas of design, copy writing, teamwork skills, etc Some of these assignments will include activities While most will be pass/fail, some will have point values each marking period as follows: 20% first tri, 10% second and 10% third Deadlines: Every component of yearbook production has a deadline: copy blocks, captions, photos, ad sales and page completion Grading criteria and deadlines for these areas will be distributed out to staff members and posted in the room You are responsible for keeping track of your own personal dead lines As stated prior, meeting these deadlines and meeting them according to yearbook standards is essential to a great yearbook and your grade each marking period as follows: 50% first tri, 70% second, 80% last Masteries: These are requirements that must be fulfilled before you sell an ad, take a picture, interview, write a copy block, or design a page Most will be the beginning of the first tri You will have a few masteries the beginning of second trimester These masteries will be oral, written and hands on quizzes, each requiring a different level of mastery The material is covered in class Expect instruction to include assignments and hands on activities that will be part of your grade You must complete all the masteries or your grade will be reduced by 20% Mastery means you have mastered the concept; therefore, after completed, you have a 100% for this portion of your grade each marking period as follows: 20% first tri, 10 % second tri, no masteries last tri Final Exam: Final Exam is 10% of grade, which is averaged into the two marking periods (10 + 45 +45) The exam covers masteries and requires students to demonstrate knowledge of applications and design Yearbook Room Rules The yearbook room s primary purpose is to facilitate the production of the yearbook The overriding concern is always that a comfortable, work-friendly atmosphere for staff members be maintained It is everyone s responsibility to keep the room clean All personal items should be picked up Put folders and all notebooks in yearbook cabinet at the end of the day Objects found lying around the room will go in the Lost and Found Failure to properly turn off computers, put away personal items, put away CDs or save materials correctly will result in a reduction in grade Items not claimed in a timely manner may be thrown out! 3 Only yearbook staff has permission on the computers General journalism and English classes may share the room, but only members of yearbook staff may use the computers Other students are not allowed Yearbook staff may use the computers for personal work after their own work is completed provided 5
5 7 9 0 3 they yield to other yearbook staff members who need the computer for yearbook work Always ask permission advisor permission before printing materials for classes Games are never allowed on computers You must follow the rules for computer usage as defined in the student handbook If you are suspended from using the computer and this causes you to not be able to meet a deadline, your grade will suffer No personal e-mails unless related to yearbook business will be opened in this computer lab A school e-mail account is set up for yearbook business (yearbook@gulllakecsorg) Personal e-mails are the number one way viruses are transmitted on computers If you need to open your e-mail, go to another lab in the building Downloading is prohibited Downloading files is the second most common way to receive a virus Our computers are essential to the production of the yearbook Students who download will be written up and may be removed from this class No tampering with computer equipment No other electronic devices used in the classroom per the student handbook unless utilized for interviewing or ad sales purposes The telephone is for yearbook and Reflection business only Music maybe played in our room; however, volume must be kept at a minimum Students must agree on ONE MUSIC SOURCE or no music will be played at all When music is played during the school day, the doors to the classroom must remain shut As per school rules, no food or beverages are allowed near computers If a student leaves the classroom, they must take their press pass and have it visible on their person They must also sign the board as to their destination AND purpose Students leaving room must also tell the advisor and an editor and chief where they are going and why Students are to return their press passes to their designated spot at end of block DOWN TIME: There will be times when you may have completed your work and have extra time on your hands This is not to be wasted--there is always something else constructive to do Playing cards, sleeping, goofing around, roaming the halls or library will result in a grade reduction, referral and may even result in removal from this class 6 Ethical Standards Writing published in The Gull will follow current laws governing publication of information, will reflect responsible journalistic reporting standards and practices, and will follow the following criteria: Writing will be unbiased Writing will include opposing view points and will draw from a variety of sources Writers will not interview friends or cover a sport or club they are active in Writers will never use their position to getting even with individuals or programs with whom one may have a conflict, or in any way compromise objectivity in the reporting of the truth Controversial matters, such as the school s policies, when included will be written with a sense of good taste, fairness and responsibility Criticism is directed at policies and not individuals, will be constructive and will attempt to provide remedies to undesirable situations As with all journalists, students will not publish or disseminate material that: 1) Is obscene, according to current legal definition; 2) Is libelous, according to current legal definition; 3) Creates a clear and present danger or the immediate material and substantial physical disruption of the school; 4) Is an invasion of privacy, according to legal standards; 5) Advertises illegal products or services, as currently defined by legal definition Plagiarism will not be tolerated Claiming another s work as one s own, either deliberately or through omission is considered plagiarism This applies not only to writing but photography and graphics Students must credit other people s ideas and materials, including those published in newspapers, magazines and books Never use pictures or art work of any kind from the internet Create your own in Illustrator or PhotoShop Writing will avoid offensive or distasteful content as determined by the editors working in conjunction with the adviser Profanity is considered beneath the writing caliber of the staff of the yearbook Innuendo will not be tolerated Source material that may be considered offensive will be evaluated by the editors working in conjunction with the adviser The Gull is committed to accuracy All story elements, including quotes, statistics, photos and content
should be verifiable and precise Inventing stories or quotes is unethical Any staff member who has fabricated information will be removed from staff and fail that trimester Idle gossip of a harmful nature will not be published Yearbook Administrative Policies The Gull is guided by the staff adviser and staff editors The Gull is subject to laws governing publication of information, including slander and libel, and adheres to the rules of ethics established (see Ethics ) 3 Content of yearbook will be school related only Pages (including clubs and organizations) must be school sponsored School and non-school related sponsorships are defined in student handbook under clubs and organizations The following is a list of this year s school sponsored pages: Choir, Band, Destination Imagination, Yearbook, National Honors Society, Foreign Exchange, EFE, EFA, KAMSC, Volunteens, Glitter, DECA, Student Senate, Quiz Bowl, Spanish National Honors Society, Ski Club 5 7 Theme related pages must be in accordance with the school day or school related as defined by the student handbook Theme pages must also reflect the content of the section it is in, for example, a theme page in the sports section must be sports related The Gull is responsible for costs of publication (printing and photography expenses, group membership fees, etc) to be budgeted in consideration of advertising revenue, donations, yearbook sales and other revenue sources Expenses are approved by the adviser Advertisement sales are the responsibility of the yearbook staff and communication between the yearbook and advertisers is the responsibility of the staff, primarily the Business Editor Members of the staff of the Gull are selected at the discretion of the adviser and the editors after an application process Input of current teaching and yearbook staff may also be taken into consideration when making decisions for next year s staff Final grades are determined by the adviser, who incorporates editor input into this process Staff Complaint/Dispute Procedures Concerns, problems and disputes should be respectfully directed to the appropriate editor who will attempt to correct the problem or resolve the dispute through discussion with the affected parties If the editor determines that the situation requires further intervention, the editor will notify the adviser who will determine the appropriate course of action If a staff problem is brought to the attention of the adviser directly without editor involvement, the adviser will first refer the staff member to the appropriate editor for rectification If the problem is determined by the adviser to require further attention, the adviser will notify the appropriate members of administration for further advisement Disciplinary Policies Any staff action determined to require correction will be documented within a Student Performance Contract signed by the student, adviser and parent Examples of actions that may require documentation and correction include but are not limited to repeated violation of classroom rules, missed deadlines, poor quality of work, problems in working and cooperating with fellow staff members and/or adviser, and non-professional behavior within or outside of the classroom Course of disciplinary action may include reduction of grade, requested conference with parents and/or administrator, or in extreme instances, removal from class with administration, guidance and parental approval On occasion, it may be determined by the adviser that a one-to-one conference is required to discuss or a correct problem These conferences may be conducted by the adviser or by a member of the editorial staff at the determination of the adviser Conferences may be held within the classroom or in a more removed setting (usually the hallway or business office) These conferences are verbal and are designed to redirect behavior before it requires documentation and further action Any problem area, handled either verbally or in writing, may result in a reduced grade for the class 7