Mr. Summers' Web Page

Letter to Parents of Yearbook Staff Members

Congratulations. Your child has been accepted to be part of one of the premiere programs at Marianna High School. The time and effort put in by past yearbook staffs have raised the Majaflo into one of the top yearbooks not only in the Panhandle, but across the nation. One-quarter of the books produced in the past 20 years have been judged to be in the top two percent of yearbooks in the United States. Most of the rest of have been in the top ten percent.

A program of this quality does not exist in a vacuum. Yearbook staff members are expected to rise to the challenge of their predecessors. Producing the yearbook is the closest experience that high school students will have to a real world situation. The staff must raise $40,000; they must cover all the events of the school year; they must sell books; and they must create the pages. A lot of work – most of it in school. Selling ads and taking sports and some club pictures are the only major out-of-school requirements.

Let me explain about the grading system for yearbook. A student’s grade is an accumulation grade. He/she receives points for everything done for yearbook. Each student also receives daily participation points. He/she must be present in class to receive the participation points. All these points are added together for the final nine-week grade. (Point Chart.) It takes time and work to accumulate these points. When you check online or look at progress reports, you will see an “F” for a long time. To properly evaluate your student’s progress, he/she should earn 700 points per week to be on track to earn an "A." That is 50 points four days a week over and above the participation points. Your child’s effort and production determines his/her grade.

I look forward to working with your child to produce the 2007 Majaflo and maintaining the traditions we have established.

Sincerely,

John Summers