We can't stress enough how important it is to fill out your yearbook ladder!

You will want to develop a page ladder that shows what is to go onto every page of your yearbook. The ladder will help determine how many pages to allocate to each specific activity (portraits, sports, organizations, academics, advertisements, student life, etc.). The ladder will also help you organize the sequencing of sections to give a nice flow to your yearbook. Your ladder can also be used as a checklist during the year to help track progress.

To get started, determine the approximate number of pages you will need in the book. Base this information on the number of students and staff members, number of grades, extracurricular activities and other activities you might want included in the book. Remember to work in increments of four pages.

Determining what will be on every page of your yearbook can be challenging at first. Use the desk-size ladder worksheet to brainstorm what you think should be included and in what order. Share this with other relevant faculty and students to ensure every event and group has appropriate coverage. Once you have a good idea of your plan, transfer it onto the large wall ladder to track progress. Keep in mind, what you can include is often determined by when you want your yearbook to arrive. To include events that happen after you have submitted your book or publishing, a supplement is a great way to provide additional coverage. (Check with your School Portraits yearbook representative for details on supplements.)

TIP: When planning you yearbook layout, nothing is more helpful than samples of other books. This is why we provide extra books for you to take during our Yearbook Kick-off Event! Consider going one step further and developing an exchange program with other schools in your area to trade samples of books from previous years. The more samples you have, the more resources you can review when making decisions about this year's yearbook ladder.

Download:

Yearbook Ladder (page 1)

Yearbook Ladder (page 2)