Help for your staff



A dictionary and a Thesaurus for your staff.

A new beginning for your staff

Let's plan ahead for what's coming. You'll be glad you did later in the semester.
The first issue of the semester is big. 
So, let's try something new. Consider using a new, exciting approach.

PBS Student Reporting Labs
Think. Create. Inform.


A video to start staff members thinking of topics. And below is the result.  It probably isn't as simple as it appears in the video. But, what the heck -- it just might work for you. 



Now for some of the more mundane topics

• New rules and regulations may have been instituted during the break by your school or your district. What are they and how do they affect students, faculty and staff?  Faculty featurettes, exchange students (but don't ask how they like America), sports advances (but avoid the coach's prediction that "we'll be in the fight for district"), new buildings or changes in buildings, fall fashions, new TV shows, etc.,

• January events include Milk Day. Celebrate the day milk was delivered in bottles for the first time on January 11th in 1878. What does Super Bowl offer for a local angle? Former student playing?

•  Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is Jan. 16 this year. What coverage can you have? Groups marching?

•  National Pie Day is Jan. 23. Sounds silly, but if you have a department involved with food preparation, give it some coverage.

•  Chinese New Year festivities in San Antonio are colorful. Perhaps you have students or faculty involved?

• February has Groundhog Day. The day is celebrated every year on Feb. 2 in both the United States and Canada. The folklore states that on that day if a groundhog emerges from his hole and fails to see his shadow, he will leave his burrow - signifying that winter will end soon. But if the Groundhog does see his shadow he will retreat down into his burrow, and winter will last for another 6 weeks.

•  Boy Scout Day is Feb. 8 -- any Eagle Scouts or Scout leaders in your school?

• Look at this web site: It's great for ideas. Think about how the stories could be transformed into print. Kobre Guide.

April -- April Fools Day, Earth Day and Arbor Day are in this month.


May -- Cinco de Mayo, National Teacher Day and Mothers Day stand out in this month, but you also have Memorial Day and World No Tobacco Day.

June -- Obviously, the important end-of-school events will need coverage. Behind-the-scenes at graduation exercises, the speakers, origin of changing the tassel, total amount of scholarships earned by graduates. Brainstorm to find stories to fit into the issue.
NEW -- How to Craft a Blog Post talks about the digital equivalent of the personal column. Blogs are popular in college websites and may offer your best writers a chance to shine online.

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