UPDATE: Davis High Won't Lose Yearbook Class

UPDATE: Davis High School's yearbook class has been reinstated, according to the Davis Enterprise. The class was cancelled in early May along with others that had low enrollment (less than 25 students). From the moment the class was cancelled (with plans of being replaced as a club), yearbook students began recruiting. See how many students they now have in the Enterprise and read about the cancellation below. 

ORIGINAL STORY: Many Davis High courses with enrollment below 35 students were cut at last week’s school board meeting. Among them was the Yearbook class. 

The board, which is saddled with the difficult task of cutting expenses by $3.5 million, also cut other low-enrollment classes like . 

The Yearbook class had 25 students when the cuts were made. The decision sparked immediate chatter, with parents calling the school and students rallying in support of the course. They quickly rounded up 10 more students to get the class total to 35. At this point, however, the class remains on the chopping block.

Students also created a Twitter hashtag: #saveDHSyearbook2013

The school board responded to my inquiry about the issue with the following statement:

The Board regrets the impact of any program cuts on our students. Despite the Davis community’s extraordinary support, we have not been able to fully stem the tide of reduced state funding for public education. We must reduce expenses by $3.5 million, but will continue to seek alternatives that mitigate the impact on student learning. 

The statement doesn’t address Yearbook directly, nor does it introduce anything we don’t already know about the budget cuts. But it does leave open the opportunity for alternatives, which will likely fuel efforts on the part of Yearbook class supporters, who have adopted the slogan, "Don't Let It End With Us: No Class, No Yearbook." 

1,500 Yearbooks Sold

The problem with cutting yearbook, according to the class’s teacher, Kelly Thomsen, is that it affects the entire school. Sure, there were only 25 students enrolled, but those students have sold about 1,500 yearbooks to fellow students so far this year.

Would the class of 2013 simply go without a yearbook?

The board says no; the students will have a yearbook. An extracurricular club or a parent-run volunteer effort would likely replace the class, which would allow the school to have some sort of yearbook while saving the district money.  

Thomsen and her students question the viability of this plan, citing the countless hours they have sunk into the final product. 

“There’s no way we can do it in a club,” Thomsen said. “It’s not just a little scrapbook. If there’s no class, there’s no actual yearbook.”

A Look at the Classroom

Students in the class learn to use Digital SLR cameras and edit images in Adobe InDesign and Photoshop, all of which have a steep learning curve and are used in professional settings.

The result, according to Thomsen and the students, is a tangible product and a good-looking item on their resume or college applications. Sometimes the class plays a role in helping students decide their college major, students said.  

“The skills you learn in yearbook go a long way,” said student Nate Tiangco. “You learn how to communicate with businesses. As Editor, you’re not only creating the book; you’re organizing and trying to sell the book.”

When asked if the students would join the Yearbook Club if the class were to disappear, the answer was mixed. Some already feel attached to next year’s book, because they’ve already begun the preparation process. Others may not be able to join the club even if they do want to. All of the students were opposed to the idea. 

“The returning people might be forced to choose between being in yearbook and [sports],” said Nikki Kong. The club would likely meet after school, which would conflict regularly with practices and games. 

One thing all of the current editors could agree on, however, is that they don’t want their parents spearheading the project.

“The whole thing about [Yearbook] is that the students know what’s going on,” said Tiangco. “Our main goal is to have everybody captured at least once in the book. It would be harder for parents to feature different groups.”

I asked them if they thought their parents were capable of working fluently in Photoshop and with equipment like Digital SLR cameras.

“They might be capable,” said Kong. “But they don’t have the time. They have jobs. They’re working and trying to support us.”

A Place to Socialize

McKenna Michael is a special needs student who enrolled in the Yearbook class as part of the district’s Inclusion program. She says it’s her favorite class. When asked about how she’d feel if the class disappeared, her answer was immediate: “Sad.”

Michael’s mom, Gerrit, who happened to be in the class on the day of my interview, applauded the district’s Inclusion model as a way for students with special needs to work alongside and socialize with other students, developing valuable skills.

Gerrit also said that Yearbook represents a chance for Davis High students – many of whom carry heavy loads of difficult college-prep courses – to unwind and exercise themselves creatively with an end-goal in mind. For that reason, she said it’s a perfect Inclusion opportunity for McKenna.

“They were able to teach her speech skills,” Gerrit said of the students and their teacher. “How to interview people. How to create a product.”

What Happens Next?

Thomsen was told she’d be offered a position to supervise Yearbook if it becomes a club next year. Having taught the class this year, she's aware of how much (unpaid) time it would require to produce something similar to what the class created this year. 

“I told them no,” Thomsen said. “Students would have to go beg a teacher” to take the lead. 

The class has reached the requisite 35 students, but Thomsen said the district is now saying they want 40. Attention will likely shift to the principal and the school board at this point.

As they contemplate ways to save the $3.5 million, expect the Davis High Yearbook students to continue their fight to keep the class. 

What do you think of the decision to cut Yearbook? It is an unavoidable cut, just like any other low-enrollment class? Or is Yearbook different because the product is something shared by the whole school?

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