Yearbooks, Yearbooks

So we pretty much decided on a yearbook company today. Lifetouch is getting us the books in the $32 ball park while Herff Jones was in the $50 range. Basically the decision was made for us at that point. Our deadline for finishing the book is going to be March 20th. That's so crazy. I don't know how we're going to pull this off. Normally this would be the final deadline not the first and last. We can get the surveys and other stuff together, that shouldn't be too hard. I'm wondering how we're going to fill a book with no pictures. We need to come up with 80 pages of pictures in a month and a half. Should be interesting.

Another disappointing thing is that we are going to go with a stock cover. We don't have time to create our own silk screen cover. While the stock ones are prettier than a lot of silk screens, it totally wipes out the idea of having the kids come up with and develop a theme on their own (which I think is a key element in making a good yearbook). The stock covers already have themes on them (for example "Our Time to Shine").

Basically this year is just going to be about getting the book out in a semi presentable manner. Hopefully next year we can do more. The Lifetouch rep was already saying that if we sign up early for next year we can get bonuses such as foil covers and fancy end sheets. If we stick with the same set up next year where we work on the yearbook in the 37.5 minutes, I think we'll be able to start the book from the first day of school.

Next year will be a much better book.