Objectives

For your scholarship applications or resume: In addition to learning writing and critical thinking skills, students will learn social and verbal skills through interviewing, personal and social ethics and good citizenship through the formulation and practice of publication and reporting standards; skills of synthesis and analytical thinking through the research and writing of news stories and editorials; and organizational, management, and financial skills through the budgeting and production of a publication.   
 
The students should become self sufficient in running this paper.  I will be here to act as editor in chief, but all planning and production of the paper will come from the students. This paper will be a student centered paper, keeping in mind that its audience goes beyond the doors of Northome School and into the greater community.

Grading System

This year you will all be responsible for  stories and layout for each paper and for putting together a portfolio after each paper is finished.

•  Deadlines are so important that I have made them a major part of your grade. You will be awarded 50 points if you meet all of your deadlines before school has ended on the day your assignment is due.   You will have two deadline per paper unless your story exceeds the 12 inch minimum requirement.  Staying after is fine, but you must be done before you leave to earn all of the 50 points.  Late stories earn 0 deadline points.
•  The quality of your writing will be graded on a 200 point scale.  Each story is worth 200 points. 
•  You will need to have 66 total inches per quarter.  Some of your stories will be short, others long. You should average about 22 inches per issue.
•  You will also be graded on the number and quality of story ideas.  There will also be points for how well your discuss at staff meetings and for gathering story ideas.
•  You will be awarded ten points a day for working, putting away your stuff, and being respectful to staff members.
•  The lowest grade you can earn is 80%.  Anything less is an F.  We need a quality paper and there is no room for anything less.

Journalism's rules of conduct

     1.  You are responsible for two articles per paper.  We will take turns rotating the page numbers that you will have.
     2.  As a member of a team, you will be responsible for reading and proofing other people's copy.  Your job is not done when YOUR story is.  Your job is done when the paper is done.
     3.  You will take care of any pictures  or art work needed for your page.
     4.  Crop, proportion, and label all photographs to be used with your stories.
     5.   Hunt down and hand in a list of ten story ideas due on paper planning days.
    6.  Write clear, concise, and accurate reports for all assignments.  Be sure to confirm sources' quotes with them.  You need to quote them verbatim.
    7.  Write your own headlines, making sure each has a present tense verb in it (except for the implied "is").
   8.  Take care of your stuff and clean up at the end of the hour.  If you lose something, you pay for it, just like you would a book.  If I have to clean it up, you lose daily points.
     9.  Meet all deadlines or die trying.
     10.  Carry a press pass at all times.  Even if you are on Responsibility, have a pass in hand.  
    11.  Forgive all staff for irritability during deadlines.