The Weldon Bolt
As part of this course, you'll be expected to participate in creating the school newspaper, The Weldon Bolt, often referred to as "the Bolt" by its creators. This is a semi bi-weekly publication that will be made available to students and staff at WSHSCA. We follow a rotating 7-day schedule, so delivery days vary. As a member of our class, you will be assigned a new column topic every week. The schedule below is subject to change, but we'll try to stick to it as much as possible.
Publication Schedule - Spring 2018: VOLUME 1
ISSUE #1
WED 1/24/18 - Students are given column assignments and brainstorm article pitches for their subject.
THURS 1/25/18 - Article pitches are due. Students determine what makes their pitches newsworthy and tweak their ideas as necessary. Students will create a written plan for their interviews including a script, questions, etc. Plan has to be approved by Ms. Sanders before being executed.
FRI 1/26/18 - Students conduct interviews if possible and begin working on a rough draft for their first article.
MON 1/29/18 - Rough drafts are due to the acting editor. Students will go through the writing process and make sure that their articles meet the standard for quality journalism. Do they answer the five Ws? Students will make sure that any accompanying media (photos) are procured for the issues as well.
TUES 1/30/18 - Final drafts are due to the acting editor. Students begin layout. What should be the main focus of this issue? How do we prioritize the news in this issue? How do we organize it?
WED 1/31/18 - Students finalize layout and do final proofreading before sending the paper for publishing.
THURS 2/1/18 - Students deliver the paper to all homeroom teachers for distribution as well as staff.
ISSUE #2
FRI 2/2/18 - Students are assigned new columns for issue two and begin brainstorming pitches for articles.
MON 2/5/18 - Article pitches are due. Students determine what makes their pitches newsworthy and tweak their ideas as necessary. Students will create a written plan for their interviews including a script, questions, etc. Plan has to be approved by Ms. Sanders before being executed.
TUES 2/6/18 - Students conduct interviews if possible and begin working on a rough draft for their first article.
WED 2/7/18 - Rough drafts are due to the acting editor. Students will go through the writing process and make sure that their articles meet the standard for quality journalism. Do they answer the five Ws? Students will make sure that any accompanying media (photos) are procured for the issues as well.
THURS 2/8/18 - Final drafts are due to the acting editor. Students begin layout. What should be the main focus of this issue? How do we prioritize the news in this issue? How do we organize it?
FRI 2/9/18 - Students finalize layout and do final proofreading before sending the paper for publishing.
MON 2/12/18 - Students deliver the paper to all homeroom teachers for distribution as well as staff.
ISSUE #3
TUES 2/13/18 - Students are assigned new columns for issue two and begin brainstorming pitches for articles.
WED 2/14/18 - Article pitches are due. Students determine what makes their pitches newsworthy and tweak their ideas as necessary. Students will create a written plan for their interviews including a script, questions, etc. Plan has to be approved by Ms. Sanders before being executed.
THURS 2/15/18 - Students conduct interviews if possible and begin working on a rough draft for their first article.
FRI 2/16/18 - Rough drafts are due to the acting editor. Students will go through the writing process and make sure that their articles meet the standard for quality journalism. Do they answer the five Ws? Students will make sure that any accompanying media (photos) are procured for the issues as well.
MON 2/19/18 - Final drafts are due to the acting editor. Students begin layout. What should be the main focus of this issue? How do we prioritize the news in this issue? How do we organize it?
TUES 2/20/18 - Students finalize layout and do final proofreading before sending the paper for publishing.
WED 2/21/18 - Students deliver the paper to all homeroom teachers for distribution as well as staff.
ISSUE #4
THURS 2/22/18 - Students are assigned new columns for issue two and begin brainstorming pitches for articles.
FRI 2/23/18 - Article pitches are due. Students determine what makes their pitches newsworthy and tweak their ideas as necessary. Students will create a written plan for their interviews including a script, questions, etc. Plan has to be approved by Ms. Sanders before being executed.
MON 2/26/18 - Students conduct interviews if possible and begin working on a rough draft for their first article.
TUES 2/27/18 - Rough drafts are due to the acting editor. Students will go through the writing process and make sure that their articles meet the standard for quality journalism. Do they answer the five Ws? Students will make sure that any accompanying media (photos) are procured for the issues as well.
WED 2/28/18 - Final drafts are due to the acting editor. Students begin layout. What should be the main focus of this issue? How do we prioritize the news in this issue? How do we organize it?
THURS 3/1/18 - Students finalize layout and do final proofreading before sending the paper for publishing.
FRI 3/2/18 - Students deliver the paper to all homeroom teachers for distribution as well as staff.
ISSUE #5
MON 3/5/18 - Students are assigned new columns for issue two and begin brainstorming pitches for articles.
TUES 3/6/18 - Article pitches are due. Students determine what makes their pitches newsworthy and tweak their ideas as necessary. Students will create a written plan for their interviews including a script, questions, etc. Plan has to be approved by Ms. Sanders before being executed.
WED 3/7/18 - Students conduct interviews if possible and begin working on a rough draft for their first article.
THURS 3/8/18 - Rough drafts are due to the acting editor. Students will go through the writing process and make sure that their articles meet the standard for quality journalism. Do they answer the five Ws? Students will make sure that any accompanying media (photos) are procured for the issues as well.
FRI 3/9/18 - Final drafts are due to the acting editor. Students begin layout. What should be the main focus of this issue? How do we prioritize the news in this issue? How do we organize it?
MON 3/12/18 - Students finalize layout and do final proofreading before sending the paper for publishing.
TUES 3/13/18 - Students deliver the paper to all homeroom teachers for distribution as well as staff.
ISSUE #6
WED 3/14/18 - Students are assigned new columns for issue two and begin brainstorming pitches for articles.
THURS 3/15/18 - Article pitches are due. Students determine what makes their pitches newsworthy and tweak their ideas as necessary. Students will create a written plan for their interviews including a script, questions, etc. Plan has to be approved by Ms. Sanders before being executed.
FRI 3/16/18 - Students conduct interviews if possible and begin working on a rough draft for their first article.
MON 3/19/18 - Rough drafts are due to the acting editor. Students will go through the writing process and make sure that their articles meet the standard for quality journalism. Do they answer the five Ws? Students will make sure that any accompanying media (photos) are procured for the issues as well.
TUES 3/20/18 - Final drafts are due to the acting editor. Students begin layout. What should be the main focus of this issue? How do we prioritize the news in this issue? How do we organize it?
WED 3/21/18 - Students finalize layout and do final proofreading before sending the paper for publishing.
THURS 3/22/18 - Students deliver the paper to all homeroom teachers for distribution as well as staff.
ISSUE #7
FRI 3/23/18 - Students are assigned new columns for issue two and begin brainstorming pitches for articles.
MON 3/26/18 - Article pitches are due. Students determine what makes their pitches newsworthy and tweak their ideas as necessary. Students will create a written plan for their interviews including a script, questions, etc. Plan has to be approved by Ms. Sanders before being executed.
TUE 3/27/18 - Students conduct interviews if possible and begin working on a rough draft for their first article.
WED 3/28/18 - Rough drafts are due to the acting editor. Students will go through the writing process and make sure that their articles meet the standard for quality journalism. Do they answer the five Ws? Students will make sure that any accompanying media (photos) are procured for the issues as well.
THURS 3/29/18 - Final drafts are due to the acting editor. Students begin layout. What should be the main focus of this issue? How do we prioritize the news in this issue? How do we organize it?
**SPRING BREAK HOLIDAY - 3/30 through 4/6**
MON 4/9/18 - Students finalize layout and do final proofreading before sending the paper for publishing.
TUES 4/10/18 - Students deliver the paper to all homeroom teachers for distribution as well as staff.
ISSUE #8
WED 4/11/18 - Students are assigned new columns for issue two and begin brainstorming pitches for articles.
THURS 4/12/18 - Article pitches are due. Students determine what makes their pitches newsworthy and tweak their ideas as necessary. Students will create a written plan for their interviews including a script, questions, etc. Plan has to be approved by Ms. Sanders before being executed.
FRI 4/13/18 - Students conduct interviews if possible and begin working on a rough draft for their first article.
MON 4/16/18 - Rough drafts are due to the acting editor. Students will go through the writing process and make sure that their articles meet the standard for quality journalism. Do they answer the five Ws? Students will make sure that any accompanying media (photos) are procured for the issues as well.
TUES 4/17/18 - Final drafts are due to the acting editor. Students begin layout. What should be the main focus of this issue? How do we prioritize the news in this issue? How do we organize it?
WED 4/18/18 - Students finalize layout and do final proofreading before sending the paper for publishing.
THURS 4/19/18 - Students deliver the paper to all homeroom teachers for distribution as well as staff.
ISSUE #9
FRI 4/20/18 - Students are assigned new columns for issue two and begin brainstorming pitches for articles.
MON 4/23/18 - Article pitches are due. Students determine what makes their pitches newsworthy and tweak their ideas as necessary. Students will create a written plan for their interviews including a script, questions, etc. Plan has to be approved by Ms. Sanders before being executed.
TUES 4/24/18 - Students conduct interviews if possible and begin working on a rough draft for their first article.
WED 4/25/18 - Rough drafts are due to the acting editor. Students will go through the writing process and make sure that their articles meet the standard for quality journalism. Do they answer the five Ws? Students will make sure that any accompanying media (photos) are procured for the issues as well.
THURS 4/26/18 - Final drafts are due to the acting editor. Students begin layout. What should be the main focus of this issue? How do we prioritize the news in this issue? How do we organize it?
FRI 4/27/18 - Students finalize layout and do final proofreading before sending the paper for publishing.
MON 4/30/18 - Students deliver the paper to all homeroom teachers for distribution as well as staff.
ISSUE#10 (FAREWELL ISSUE)
TUES 5/1/18 - Students are assigned new columns for issue two and begin brainstorming pitches for articles.
WED 5/2/18 - Article pitches are due. Students determine what makes their pitches newsworthy and tweak their ideas as necessary. Students will create a written plan for their interviews including a script, questions, etc. Plan has to be approved by Ms. Sanders before being executed.
THURS 5/3/18 - Students conduct interviews if possible and begin working on a rough draft for their first article.
FRI 5/4/18 - Rough drafts are due to the acting editor. Students will go through the writing process and make sure that their articles meet the standard for quality journalism. Do they answer the five Ws? Students will make sure that any accompanying media (photos) are procured for the issues as well.
MON 5/7/18 - Final drafts are due to the acting editor. Students begin layout. What should be the main focus of this issue? How do we prioritize the news in this issue? How do we organize it?
TUES 5/8/18 - Students finalize layout and do final proofreading before sending the paper for publishing.
WED 5/9/18 - Students deliver the paper to all homeroom teachers for distribution as well as staff.