Closing the Book on This Year’s Book

~ by Kyle Sassmann, Toronto East Yearbook Print Consultant

The files are submitted. The proofs are approved. The deadline is officially behind you. Take a moment…you’ve earned it!

Once a yearbook is sent to print, it’s tempting to mentally close the book and move on. But before you dive into summer plans or start dreaming up next year’s theme, there’s one important step that can make a huge difference next season: the post-deadline debrief.

Taking time to reflect on the entire yearbook process while it’s still fresh helps turn this year’s experience into a smoother, more confident yearbook season next year. Think of it as future-you saying, “Thank you for doing this!”

Here’s how to review your yearbook season from start to finish, and what’s worth talking about along the way.

LOOK AT THE BIG PICTURE

Start by stepping back and looking at the yearbook season as a whole. From kickoff meetings to final submission, how did it feel? Ask questions like:

• Did the season feel organized, rushed, or stressful?
• Were there clear milestones, or did everything pile up near the end?
• Did the team feel confident in the process, or consistently behind?

This isn’t about assigning blame, it’s about spotting patterns. Often, deadline stress points back to early planning decisions, not last-minute mistakes.

HOT TIP: Make use of the teacher PlantIt Guide online in the CME Classroom or hardcopy in the annual yearbook kit supplies to better plan your months using the monthly check-lists. You can also use the digital task list at the top of your CME project to check off standard tasks auto-set by CME, edit them or create your own.

REVIEW THE TIMELINE AND PLANNING

Strong planning sets the tone for the entire year. Talk through:

• When timelines, page ladders, and deadlines were created
• Whether those deadlines were realistic
• Which milestones worked well, and which were frequently pushed

If certain sections were always finished late, that’s a sign that timelines may need adjusting. If others consistently stayed ahead, those strategies are worth repeating next year.

HOT TIP: Make note of when stress peaked during the season. That insight is valuable for building a better schedule next time.

REFLECT ON TEAM ROLES AND COMMUNICATION

Yearbooks are team projects, and communication can make or break the experience. Consider:

• Were roles and responsibilities clearly defined?
• Did everyone know who to ask when questions came up?
• How well did editors, designers, photographers, and advisors stay aligned?

If communication felt scattered, think about what could help next year…regular check-ins, clearer documentation, or shared tracking tools. Small changes here can prevent a lot of last-minute scrambling.

HOT TIP: Remember, you are the Advisor, so focus on advising instead of doing. Allow the students to take on a leadership hierarchy and delegate work accordingly. Yearbook is an invaluable leadership, communication and teamwork experience for your students, but only if you let it be.

REVIEW CONTENT CREATION

Now it’s time to look closely at the heart of the book.

Photos:

• Were photos easy to collect, or a constant chase?
• Were certain events, teams, or groups under-covered?
• Did image quality or resolution cause issues near deadline?

Writing:

• Did captions and copy come together smoothly?
• Were name spellings and quotes a challenge?
• Was editing spread out over time or saved to the very end?

Coverage:

• Does the whole book represent the school fairly?
• Were any sections overcrowded or thin?

Identifying gaps now makes it easier to plan better coverage strategies next year, whether that means assigning photographers differently or collecting content earlier.

HOT TIP: Your Friesens Yearbook Consultant can share our Photo Shopping List Template so you can set expectations with students and get the shots you need more consistently.

EVALUATE DESIGN AND THEME EXECUTION

Design choices often feel exciting at the start of the year, but reality sets in once deadlines hit. Discuss:

• How well the theme was carried through the entire book
• Whether templates were flexible or limiting
• How easy it was to maintain consistency

If certain layouts were time-consuming or tricky, that’s valuable feedback. Next year might benefit from simpler templates, clearer style guides, or earlier design decisions.

HOT TIP: Now that you are at the end of the year, make note of any spread layouts you really liked and save them as templates. This way, when you open next year’s CME project, you can import those spread templates with a click of a button and get a head start on your layouts…don’t forget to check out the 100s of Friesens themed templates as well!

TALK ABOUT PROOFING AND FINAL PREP

The final stretch before submission often reveals the biggest lessons. Ask:

• Did proofing feel calm or chaotic?
• Were errors caught early or late?
• Did multiple people review pages, or just one set of eyes?

If proofing felt rushed, consider building in a more structured review time next year. Even small changes…like proofing in stages instead of all at once…can make a big difference.

REVIEW TOOLS, RESOURCES, AND SUPPORT

Every yearbook team relies on tools, templates, software, and support. Take time to discuss:

• What worked well
• What felt confusing or inefficient
• What resources went unused or were discovered too late

This is also a great moment to note what training, tutorials, or guidance would have been helpful earlier in the season.

CAPTURE YOUR TAKEAWAYS

Before everyone moves on, write it down. Create a simple list:

• Do “this” again
• Change “this” next year
• Try “this” for the first time

These notes become a roadmap for the next yearbook season…especially helpful if team members change or memories fade.

HOT TIP: Your dedicated Friesens Yearbook Consultant and Project Specialist duos are there to help you with your yearbook process and that doesn’t end when the final approval is in. Make sure to loop them in on your takeaways and share with them what you need more help/focus on next school year so they can customize their service plan to fit your unique setup.

A post-deadline debrief isn’t about reliving stress…it’s about learning from it. The strongest yearbook teams aren’t the ones who never struggle; they’re the ones who reflect, adapt, and improve year after year. So once your files are off to print, take a little time to look back.