Monthly Calendar

What You Should Be Doing Every Month

As A Yearbook Staff

AUGUST – Spring Delivery• Launch advertising campaign, complete pre-design of ads &

develop ad section• Finalize specifications for the book & set production schedule to

meet publisher’s deadlines• Meet with publisher to evaluate costs• Meet with portrait photographer to secure dates for photo shoot• Polish & refine theme & section plans developed during the

summer workshop• Plan a ladder and coverage ideas if workshop was not attended• Initiate back-to-school reporting & photography• Take inventory on all software & hardware for the year• Attend a fall workshop for ideas on planning• Review payment schedule for the yearbook to determine if any

deposits need to be submitted be certain deadlines• Review all deadlines for yearbook, including cover, endsheets,

pages, final counts, options, & more. Make sure schedule is posted with any adjustments you need to make for the staff due to holidays and testing.

• Design layouts for each section to help photographers & allow for total coverage

SEPTEMBER – Spring Delivery

• Finalize staff organization & responsibilities• Set up & maintain complete sports files, & survey clubs to

find out their activities• Assign coverage for all deadlines• Finalize the ladder• Report & photograph activities & events as they happen• Finalize theme use throughout the book.• Close advertising campaign sales & begin production work

on the section• Follow through on portraits• Meet with publisher to evaluate costs.• Plan book sales campaign• Complete any billing & layout designs for any advertisers• Review interviewing techniques• Distribute book & keep notes on any problems (Fall

Delivery)• Pay off any balance on yearbook bill (Fall Delivery)

OCTOBER – Spring Delivery

• Report & photograph activities & events as they happen

• Meet deadlines according to the production schedule

• Finalize the academics & student life spreads

• Finalize portrait photography with make-ups completed this month

• Complete theme including cover, endsheets, opening, closing, & dividers

• Make sure each staffer knows the indexing process

• Plan a book sales campaign

• Read, correct, & return any incoming proofs within a week of receipt

NOVEMBER – Spring Delivery

• Report and photograph activities and events as they happen.

• Meet deadlines & check materials according to the production schedule.

• Read, correct, & return any incoming proofs within a week of receipt

• Complete fall sports coverage and the people section.

• Keep up with winter sports.

• Plan a book sales campaign

• Finalize plans for the club section & continue work on the student life section

• Have a deadline & Thanksgiving celebration!

DECEMBER – Spring Delivery

• Read, correct, & return any incoming proofs within a week of receipt

• Report and photograph activities and events as they happen.

• Meet deadlines & check materials according to the production schedule.

• Focus on the club section, remaining sports spreads & final student life coverage.

• Plan a book sales campaign and tie it in with the holidays. Collect any outstanding balances due on the yearbook.

• Determine if final counts are due to publisher for Spring books

• Keep up with winter sports

• Have a deadline & Christmas party!

JANUARY – Spring Delivery

• Read, correct, & return any incoming proofs within

• Report and photograph activities and events as they

• Meet deadlines & check materials according to the

• Complete all spreads possible for the book, saving unpredictable last minute events

• Double-check the progress of the index and make accurate. Polish and refine the index concept.

FEBRUARY – Spring Delivery

• Read, correct, & return any incoming proofs within a week of receipt

• Report and photograph activities and events as they happen.

• Meet deadlines according to the production schedule.

• Have a deadline party

MARCH – Spring Delivery

• Complete final deadline.

• Read, correct, & return any incoming proofs within a week of receipt

• Begin compiling yearbook sales lists and planning a distribution event

• Photograph spring activities so they can be covered in a supplement or in the following year’s book. (Focus on underclassmen.)

• Start recruiting new prospects for next year’s staff.

APRIL – Spring Delivery

• Read, correct, & return any incoming proofs within a week of receipt

• Continue coverage of spring activities

• Update advertising billing for current volume

• Finalize yearbook sales lists and distribution plans.

• Design student-oriented advertising for prospects

• Begin advertising sales campaign for next book

• Prepare a reader survey which would get immediate student reaction to the book, and use as a tool for pre-planning the next book

• Plan on attending a Summer Workshop for the new staff/next year.

MAY – Spring Delivery

• Read, correct, & return any incoming proofs within a week• Distribute books at celebration event & keep notes on any• Continue coverage of spring and end-of-school activities• Conduct and compile the results of the reader survey• Complete a staff self-analysis of the yearbook• Complete final billing of advertisers• Finalize portrait photography plans for next year• Finalize Summer Workshop plans for the new staff/next

year.• Develop working specifications to use during the summer• Read incoming proofs.• Photograph summer activities so they can be covered

adequately• following year’s book• Conduct an end-of-the year award banquet for the staff

JUNE/JULY – Spring Delivery

• Brainstorm coverage ideas with your staff for the new year• Make specification decisions pertaining to copies, pgs, etc.• Attend a summer workshop to develop theme and section

plans, learn new techniques and polish existing skills.• Report and photograph summer activities unique to your

students for next year’s book.• Finalize yearbook sales lists and distribution plans. (Fall)• Complete final deadline including last-minute coverage like

spring sports, graduation, index (FALL DELIVERY ONLY)• Read, correct, & return any incoming proofs within a week

of receipt (FALL DELIVERY ONLY)July - SPRING DELIVERY• Launch advertising campaign & develop ad section• Follow up on portrait photography plans to make sure you

get what you need.• Keep taking summer pictures• Read, correct, & return any proofs within a week of receipt • Develop a set of working specs to use for pre-planning.