YEARBOOK 2023-2024

STAFF CONTRACT

You have this document in hand to remind you of the challenge you agreed to take on. Yearbook is very different from all other classes, and it’s critical that each staffer understands this distinction. Your signature is your acknowledgement of this and promise to do your best to meet the highest standards.

As a staffer, you can expect to:

Learn to function as part of a highly organized team. Communicate with the adviser and with each other as part of this team.
Learn journalistic writing, design, photography, and marketing.
Expand your knowledge in one or all these fields as you progress in the program.
Join and support a journalism program and help to continue its performance at this level.
Sell advertisements and participate in fundraisers to meet a budget of approximately $50,000. This budget is not supplemented by school, county, or state funding. We must sell ads and books to survive.
Each day, represent Seabreeze High School in the best possible light – in print, online and in person.
Participate in enriching field trips and other learning experiences beyond what the school day offers.
Understand that the respect and privileges earned as part of the program are valuable and unusual. Protect your reputation.

Requirements of the journalism program:

Each staffer is interviewed and chosen to be on staff.
Staffers work together, communicate effectively, and meet all deadlines.
Staffers practice leadership, teamwork, and personal responsibility within a peer group.
Staffers and editors practice effective business communications with each other and the adviser.
Editors agree to take on additional responsibilities and roles within the classroom. These roles mean they may have to put in more time to get the job done.
Photographers understand that photos taken for yearbook are the property of Seabreeze Yearbook and are not to be sold or transferred.
Staffers understand their role in the organization and do their best to fulfill their job description.
*All staffers must attend workdays, stay after school to meet deadlines, cover events, and participate in sales and fundraising activities.
Failure to meet these requirements could result in dismissal from the program.

Privileges and Guidelines

Staffers may leave the classroom on "official business," however, roaming and socializing during the school day is prohibited.
Staffers may eat snacks in the journalism room, provided the room is kept clean, and food and drink stay away from computers.
While limited phone use is allowed ONLY for yearbook work, at no time should anyone observe yearbook students just “hanging out on their phones.” Staffers may NOT surf the internet, play games, or contact classmates during the school day.
With parent permission, staffers may carpool to and from after-school activities. Unless it is a special circumstance, the adviser may not transport staffers.
Staffers who are in good standing (A, B or C) in all of their classes, who have met their ad sales quota, and who have met their deadlines will be considered for participation in field trips. This includes the annual trip to Yearbookpalooza. Space will be limited and generally only leadership and staff who have performed above and beyond expectations are included on the trip. The adviser reserves the right to choose the students who go to Yearbookpalooza and all other workshops and field trips.
Seniors who complete their Junior & Senior year on yearbook staff with an overall grade of a B or above, and over 300 hours in eDesign receive a Cord at Graduation.

Grading Overview

Participation and Effort: 40%
- This category includes attendance, workdays, time-on-task in class and overall effort in the program.
Production: 60%
- This category includes the actual making of the yearbook: Writing, photography, design, business, editor duties, leadership, etc. Grades are earned though producing quality work, even if you must make revisions to get there. Communication and teamwork also come into play.

* Unless otherwise notified, attendance is mandatory. However, if you miss a meeting, workday, or class you may make up time. For the time to count, you must speak to the adviser both BEFORE you miss something and BEFORE you intend to make it up.

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