Do It Alone or Build a Class? Creating a Yearbook That Works for Your School
Many yearbook advisers are teachers or club leaders with an established plan and structure. But not everyone has a full team—many parent volunteers find themselves creating the yearbook alone, or mostly alone (check out our earlier post about crowdsourcing photos to lighten the load).
Whether you’re a teacher forming a yearbook club or a parent volunteer doing it solo, here’s a clear and honest breakdown of the pros and cons of each approach. Use this guide to decide what’s best for your school’s size, student age, available time, and yearbook goals.
Yearbook Club or Yearbook Class
Pros:
Team effort: Tasks are divided among students or members, which helps prevent burnout.
Student involvement: Builds ownership, leadership, and creativity.
Learning experience: Provides real-world lessons in design, photography, deadlines, and teamwork.
Diverse perspective: More contributors mean a richer, more inclusive yearbook.
Built-in structure: Regular meetings or class time help keep the project on track.
Cons:
Management challenges: Advisors may need to supervise closely, edit often, or redo student work.
Varied skill levels: Quality can vary depending on experience and motivation.
Time demands: Advisors spend time training, organizing, and troubleshooting.
Logistics: Coordinating schedules, technology access, and communication can be tricky.
Yearbook Done by a Parent (Solo Creator)
Pros:
Creative control: One person, one vision—no debates or delays.
Efficiency: Quick decision-making means faster progress.
Consistency: A single creator ensures a unified tone and design style.
Flexibility: Work on your own time instead of managing group meetings.
Cons:
Overwhelming workload: One person handles everything—design, photos, communication, editing, and deadlines.
Limited coverage: It’s impossible to be everywhere at once.
Less student voice: Students miss out on involvement and pride in the finished product.
Burnout risk: Doing it solo year after year can be exhausting.
Less connection: Without student participation, some of the “magic” may be lost.
Final Thoughts
If you’re deciding between a club/class or a solo parent approach, think about your resources, school size, and goals.
A club or class builds community, creativity, and valuable learning experiences.
A solo parent can produce a beautiful book efficiently—perfect for smaller schools or when volunteer help is limited.
Either way, the result is the same: a yearbook full of memories your school community will treasure for years to come.
Tip from Blossom Yearbooks:
No matter how your yearbook team is structured, our tools make it easy to collaborate, design, and publish—whether it’s one person or a whole class behind the scenes.