Welcome to Yearbook! In this class, we will be creating a chronicle of this school year that will be a keepsake for you and your classmates. This exciting and unique elective allows students to explore and express their creativity while learning job-readiness skills that will assist them in the future. Here are some of the learning opportunities that await you this year:
Learn to take great digital pictures
Work as a team, in small groups, and individually
Develop a theme
Develop leadership skills
Meet deadlines
Develop journalism skills
Learn yearbook terminology
Design layouts
Develop a critical eye for aesthetics
Materials suggested, but not required, for Yearbook:
Paper, pens, pencils, highlighters, and sticky notes
How to be successful in this class
Come to class on time and ready to learn and work.
Complete your assignments on time. There will be progressive due dates for all spreads (one or two page layouts on an event, club, sport, etc.), and the best way to be successful is to keep up along the way.
Attend all functions that are associated with your spreads.
Commit to taking lots of pictures. The more you have to choose from, the more likely you are to get “the shot”.
Take ownership and pride in your work. This yearbook will live on beyond this class, so make your mark on it.
Be creative in putting your spreads together.
Cover everyone! It is our goal to get every student pictured in the yearbook three times.
Go beyond the obvious. In your interviews, ask thoughtful, open-ended questions.
Edit and proofread your work.
Put yourself out there. You get much more out of the class by being an active participant—share during class discussions, volunteer ideas and answers, and listen and learn from your peers.
Ask for help if needed.
Classroom Expectations
Respect others and yourself
Come prepared and ready to learn
Listen to and follow directions
Raise your hand before speaking
Sit up, track the teacher, and be on-task
Be ready to begin promptly at the bell—that means you’re seated with your agenda and materials out
In accordance with school policy, no hats or hoods are to be worn in class, and gum is not permitted.
There is to be no eating or drinking in class, except for water.
Do not change settings or tamper with school computers or cameras.
Do not allow any non-Yearbook student to handle or use the cameras as we use expensive photography and digital editing equipment.
Do not share yearbooks photos with anyone outside of the yearbook class.
Cell Phone and Electronic Device Policy
Cellular phones and other electronic devices must be in airplane mode or powered off while students are in class. Earbuds should also be in your backpack before entering the classroom. Students will place their phones in the pocket chart by the door on their way into class each day. Students will understand they will not be given permission to leave class in order to answer a phone call or text message. If a parent needs to contact a student, please call the front office for assistance.The use of electronic devices is prohibited during class time without teacher permission. If a student needs to use his/her phone to upload photos, the phone must be kept on the desktop and can only be used for class business. No games, texting, social media, calls, checking notifications, surfing the web, watching videos, or listening to music. Students who send inappropriate text messages or photos that violate the district acceptable use policy may be subject to disciplinary consequences.
If students are using their phone as their camera for yearbook, they must stow it in the pocket chart at the beginning of class but may take it out after instructional time to upload photos. Once photos are uploaded, the phone should be returned to the chart.
Students may not record, video, or take a picture of another student or staff member without prior written consent. The exception to this is official yearbook business. Students have the option of using the cameras on their phones, but they should be wearing their yearbook staff badges when doing so.
Consequences of Violating Our Class Contract and School Rules
First offense – warning, redirection of behavior, class reminder
Second offense – student/teacher conference, seat change, call home, or detention
Third offense – phone call home, referral to office, possible activities/privileges revoked
For chronic or serious problems, administration will become involved.
Note: Electronic device confiscation receives no warning.
Grading Policy
Grades in Yearbook are weighted. Yearbook spreads and projects are worth 70% of students’ grades. Class work/participation makes up the other 30%. We really are a team, so it is essential for everyone to fulfill their responsibilities on time. Because of the weight on the student’s grade, projects will be accepted late according to the following policy. The project will be assessed for quality then marked down a full grade for each day it is late. At some point, if a project is too late, it will receive no credit. We have deadlines we have to meet with the printer, so they must be met. That being said, if your child feels that they may miss a deadline due to a need for clarification, illness, or family commitments, please have your student talk to me as soon as possible so that we can strategize how to successfully complete the assignment as close to the deadline as possible. The best time to do this is the last 15 minutes of class on block days. There will be occasional extra credit opportunities announced in class; however, the best way to succeed in this class is to meet your deadlines promptly and thoroughly. Any extra credit opportunities will be announced in class.
Yearbook Spreads and Projects
Meeting deadlines
Completing assigned yearbook spreads (pages) that follow aesthetic guidelines and agreed upon layout and theme (this includes all drafts along the way)
Taking pictures
Working efficiently in a small group
Learning and creating photo projects/Google Slides (our unit after yearbook is completed in late spring).
Classwork/participation
Completing warm-ups and mini-lessons
Completing photography assignments (some of which may be outside of the school day)
Completing homework when assigned
Assisting in yearbook distribution
What if you need more time on an assignment, project, or deadline? If you are absent, you have the number of class periods you were absent to complete work without a late penalty. Mini deadlines will be in place for your yearbook spreads to help you be successful in producing a yearbook that is of quality and is submitted to the publisher on time. Any spread that I have to jump in and “save” in order for it to go to the publisher on time will result in a lowered grade—the highest grade possible will be a C.
Academic Honesty
Yearbook stands behind the district’s Academic Honesty Policy: Cheating of any kind will not be tolerated. Students who copy another’s work OR students who allow their work to be copied will receive a zero on that assignment and will be referred to administration. Parents/guardians will also be contacted. This also applies to plagiarism in which students copy work from a published source and do not quote and give credit to the source. We must also accurately quote people in the yearbook. Students who work “together” should not have identical work. Please respect yourself, your fellow students and your teacher by not attempting to cheat or plagiarize on any assignments.
Photo Coverage
Please be aware that about half of the yearbook coverage will take place during school time, but many events such as dances, sports, and performances will require coverage outside of the normal school day. You will be issued a school camera to cover all activities, events, and photo assignments though you are welcome to use your own camera. Ongoing photo assignments will be given as well as you being assigned to cover specific activities and events. All photos are for school use only and cannot be used for any purpose other than assigned Yearbook duties.
Absence Policy
Absences create issues that often affect a student’s progress and grade. These issues include missing important class activities and discussions, and neglecting to follow through with appropriate procedures after an absence (see below). It is the student’s responsibility to follow through on absence procedures.
On the day you return, turn in assignments that were due on the first day of your absence.
Get any handouts, assignments, or notes given during your absence.
Arrange to meet with me for further explanation or to make arrangements to get caught up.
Turn in missed assignments by the due date we agree upon. District policy allows one day for each day missed.
It is the students' responsibility to make sure their work is turned in at the appropriate time and to the appropriate place. If students wait until scores are posted in Aeries, it may be too late to make up/turn in the work.
Vacations: I understand that trips are very often an educational experience or are unavoidable. However, because classroom activities and discussions are the foundation of our program, much of those experiences cannot be recreated. For that reason, I urge you to schedule trips around school vacations. Also, please understand that it may not be possible for me to provide work in advance if you will be out for vacation. According to Ed Code, vacations are considered unexcused absences, so being provided with the opportunity to make up any missed work is a privilege. In some cases, there may be some assignments that may not be made up at all. If work is provided for you in advance, it is due the day you return.
Email Contact
Email is the best method of communication. Due to the block schedule, however, please allow at least 48 hours for a response because I only have a prep period every other day.
Appointments
I am always willing to meet with parents by appointment, digitally or in-person when permitted. When an appointment is scheduled, please check in at the main office and then come to my room (M-1). Please understand that I am unable to meet for conferences without an appointment as it takes time to prepare for them, or I may have a previously scheduled meeting.