Junior or Senior

The Editor in Chief leads the organizational structure of the paper and serves as the face of the publication in the school community.

• Sets vision and goals in cooperation with the adviser.

• Initiates and helps to build the pitch sheet for every issue, ensuring that section editors add to their section, and encouraging reporters to add newsworthy pitches. 

• Plans and leads weekly staff meetings and monthly Editorial Board meetings. 

• Coordinates pre-term and ongoing training sessions for the editorial staff in cooperation with the managing editors and adviser.

• Either writes the monthly editorial individually after the Editorial Board meeting or co-writes the monthly editorial with another member of the Editorial Board. Responsible for building consensus on the editorial or making a determination on how to publish dissent. 

• Builds and maintains the steady participation of editors and reporters.  

• Builds and maintains newspaper circulation and website traffic. Communicates with the school community about circulation.

• Sets timelines in cooperation with the managing editors.

• Assigns vacant section editor positions in consultation with managing editors and adviser.

• Responsible for settling any disputes among the staff or in the school community related to the publications.

• Maintains and updates the staff manual and style guide.

• Responsible for contributing at least two stories to each print issue ahead of the general staff deadline. This may be adjusted if EIC is bylining the feature.

• Responsible for ensuring that the feature is completed by deadline and reported to expected standards. If involved in writing the feature, it is especially important that the EIC completes this work before deadline so they can lead the rest of the publication. 

• Keeps a pulse and follows up on the progress of all stories, especially sensitive or controversial topics.

• Make edits and reviews the final draft of the newspaper before print. 

• Attends and shares leadership in all print production sessions, as well as online publication sessions as needed.

• Encouraged but not required to continue learning in the Media for Publications class and/or an independent study during one or both semesters.

Sophomore, Junior, or Senior

The managing editor for print (ME-P) collaborates with the EIC and Managing Editor of Web (ME-W) on the editorial workflow and is directly responsible for the layout and production of the print publication.

• Responsible for print circulation, archiving print publications, and the continuous improvement of print publications.

• Manages the coverage audit after every issue.

• Collaborates with the ME-W to oversee editorial workflow in Google Docs.

• Responsible for developing print features, including but not limited to cartoons, illustrations, infographics, puzzles, special features, and links to the website.

• Becomes an in-house expert on layout software. Trains and oversees editors in the monthly layout of the newspaper.

• Studies other publications to generate and contribute new ideas for print design.

• Manages timeline, workflow, and deadlines in cooperation with the adviser.

• Helps to build the pitch sheet for every issue, ensuring that section editors add to their section, and encouraging reporters to add newsworthy pitches. 

• Coordinates pre-term and ongoing training sessions for the editorial staff in cooperation with the EIC(s) and adviser.

• Assists with coordination of the monthly Editorial Board meetings. May co-writes the monthly editorial with the EIC(s).

• Leads weekly editor’s meetings and reporters’ meetings in the absence of the EIC(s).

• Make edits and reviews the final draft of the newspaper before print. 

• Responsible for contributing at least one story to each print issue ahead of the general staff deadline. This may be adjusted bylining the feature.

• Encouraged but not required to continue learning in the Media for Publications class and/or an independent study during one or both semesters.

Sophomores, Juniors, or Seniors

Section Editors are responsible for assigning and editing stories in a specific section of the paper, contributing to their section, and building their section’s identity.

• Each Section Editor must contribute at least one of their own stories in the section they lead for each issue, and ensure at least three additional stories/contributions are written for their section.

• Lead reporters and drive the expectations for content, quality, procedures, and timelines related to their sections.  

• Must add at least ten story pitches to their section ahead of the pitch meeting. Generates new ideas for stories by keeping a pulse on the school community and studying other publications.

• Participates in pre-term and ongoing training sessions.  

• Participates actively in monthly Editorial Board meetings, including advance preparation when requested.

• Supports contributors and reporters in their section with check-ins, tips, and general oversight. 

• Edits all stories in their section on time in accordance with the production schedule established for each issue.

• Participates in design sessions for print and/or web. 

• Collaborates with reporters to ensure that any opinions in their section are labeled, researched, and presented with journalistic integrity.

Sophomores, Juniors, or Seniors

Section Editors are responsible for assigning and editing stories in a specific section of the paper, contributing to their section, and building their section’s identity.

• Each Section Editor must contribute at least one of their own stories in the section they lead for each issue, and ensure at least three additional stories/contributions are written for their section.

• Lead reporters and drive the expectations for content, quality, procedures, and timelines related to their sections.  

• Must add at least ten story pitches to their section ahead of the pitch meeting. Generates new ideas for stories by keeping a pulse on the school community and studying other publications.

• Participates in pre-term and ongoing training sessions.  

• Participates actively in monthly Editorial Board meetings, including advance preparation when requested.

• Supports contributors and reporters in their section with check-ins, tips, and general oversight. 

• Edits all stories in their section on time in accordance with the production schedule established for each issue.

• Participates in design sessions for print and/or web. 

• Collaborates with reporters to ensure that any opinions in their section are labeled, researched, and presented with journalistic integrity.

Throughout the year, the team will meet on Tuesdays from 3:05-4:00 p.m., unless otherwise posted by the EICs or adviser.

All team members are expected to be at meetings. Attendance is recorded via sign-in sheets. If a team member has a prior commitment, it is expected that they notify their editors and learn what they are missing.     

The EICs and the adviser reserve the right to call additional meetings or reschedule meetings as needed to accommodate production schedules.

All members of the Editorial Board are expected to attend and participate in back-to-school training each August.

Editorial Board meetings are scheduled by the Editor(s) in Chief each publication cycle and/or as needed. Members of the Editorial Board are expected to attend and participate fully in Editorial Board meetings.

New staff members become contributors with the publication of their first story.

After three published stories, a staff member is promoted to a reporter. The Managing Editor for Web will add a staff listing and bio to the staff page on the publication website. (Please let the adviser and/or Managing Editor know if we've missed a promotion!)

Occasionally, there may be a need for a new section editor during the school year. Section editor additions or replacements are recruited at the discretion of the EICs and adviser from our team of reporters.

The Panther Press staff will communicate primarily through a Schoology group. The adviser, EICs, and MEs will post updates regularly for the staff. Staff members are expected to check Schoology regularly for information and updates. All meetings announcements, opportunities, deadlines, and training materials will be posted to Schoology.

The Editorial Board and the adviser will also communicate via Slack. Slack will be used as a direct communication between editors, core editors, and the adviser. Editors will create multiple separate channels for different uses. Additional staff members may be invited to join Slack at the discretion of the editors in chief.

Editors in chief may also create additional communication channels, like group texts.

The Panther Press has the rights to any published or unpublished work done by staffers if the work was submitted to The Panther Press for publication or done as a staff assignment. The Panther Press has unlimited use of all such work. 

The Panther Press and Haven Yearbook share resources, space, and occasionally content. Any story, portion of a story, photo, and/or caption submitted to The Panther Press, published or unpublished, may be considered for publication in the Haven Yearbook during the same academic year. Any photo and/or caption submitted to the Haven Yearbook may be considered for publication in The Panther Press during the same academic year. Work will always be attributed in both publications.

The Panther Press does not allow staff members to submit content published in The Panther Press to any other publication, external or internal to the school district, except the Haven Yearbook. If circumstances arise where a staff member thinks that an exception should be considered, they should speak with the editor(s) in chief and adviser.

The adviser may authorize the reselling of published or unpublished photographs. The photographer will not receive compensation for this sale, but proceeds from the sale (usually via SmugMug) will benefit the publication staff. 

All members of the Editorial Board must sign a leadership contract at the start of each school year. The contract provides a basis for a discussion with the adviser that may lead to probation or removal from the leadership role if any editor is unable to meet the expectations of the role for any reason.

The Panther Press staff is a team. On a team that strives for excellence and to be of service to its readers, each staff member—from first-time contributor to editor in chief—plays an essential role. Although we try to be flexible around other commitments, there is no room for students who join the newspaper staff to pad their resume without active participation. And although we learn from mistakes, there is no room for students who repeatedly fail to respect our team's ethical guidelines.

Each member is expected to participate consistently in meetings and trainings.

Each member is expected to complete all assigned stories, pages, photos, etc. on time or before the assigned deadline. 

Editorial Board members are expected to attend and participate in Editorial Board meetings and to take on responsibilities during print and/or web production for each issue.

Staff members, including editors, may be dismissed from their positions or the staff itself if any of the following violations arise. The listed concerns could all result in a dismissal; however, staff dismissals are not limited to the listed concerns.

• Plagiarism, fabrication, or any level of academic dishonesty (administrative referral; may be immediate dismissal)

• Vandalism or theft of publication equipment (administrative referral; may be immediate dismissal)

• Continually missed deadlines

• Continual failure to attend meetings, trainings, and production sessions (if assigned)

• Continuous negative or pessimistic attitude towards other staff member(s) or the adviser

• Failure to fulfill responsibilities as outlined in the position description

Staff members who are potentially facing dismissal will meet with the adviser and possibly the editor(s) in chief, depending on the concern. Probation may be assigned; if so, the terms of probation will be documented with a written statement signed by the adviser and the staff member.

Note that a reporter who does not attend three consecutive meetings and/or does not contribute stories to two consecutive print issues will be removed from the staff page on The Panther Press website. To rejoin the active team, the reporter or contributor should speak with the editor in chief or adviser.