A Day in the Life...of one adviser

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A Day in the Life

By the Numbers: An Adviser From Dawn to Dusk

Karl Bolton, yearbook adviser, Patrick Henry HS, San Diego, CA Adviser: Karl Bolton
School: Patrick Henry HS, San Diego, CA
Other classes taught/responsibilities at the school: ROP Computerized Graphic design, Graphic communications/Screenprinting, Yearbook, ASB Sophomore class advisor, Department Chair
Club and sports advised/coached: Cycling Club advisor, Graphic arts and Multimedia club advisor
Students on staff: 24
Size of book: size 9 / 328 pages
Favorite part of yearbook: Seeing the final printed product, distribution day
Favorite yearbook staff tradition: Staff Bocce Day

Before school

5:30 Alarm ruins my sleep. 5:35 Get in shower.
5:50 Out of shower, wake up wife, pack lunch.
6:00 Baby wakes up, change diaper,entertain baby until wife is out of shower.
6:15 Kiss wife and baby, warm up truck and go.
6:30 Pick up much-needed coffee at local coffee shop. 6:45 Arrive at school and walk in office. Greeted by office secretary with “Do you have the schedule for the yearbook photos today?”
6:50 Email entire staff schedules for yearbook photos.
6:55 Students arrive to my class to start printing club shirts. Turn on all printing equipment, heaters, pressure washer, exposure units.
7:00 Walk over to auditorium to check to see if yearbook photographers have arrived and see if they need anything.
7:05 Take my staff photo for the yearbook and back to my classroom.
7:10 Yearbook student arrives to check out camera, talks about page and asks for tips and ideas of what to  shoot.
7:15 Set up screens for Custodial shirts. Start printing.

Start of School

Period 1 7:30-8:21 Graphic communications/Screenprinting
Bell rings, open emails from teachers with “suggestions” on how to make  the photo process go more smoothly
8:21 – Clean up, shut down lab and change classrooms.
Period 2 - 8:27-9:19 Computer Graphic Design – Lesson on logo design
Period 3 9:25-10:16 Computer Graphic Design - Lesson on logo design – Help edit Yearbook student’s page  (student is enrolled in this graphics class). Brainstorm better angles for her page.
Period 4 10:21-11:13 Computer Graphic Design - Lesson on logo design –    10:43 - Send pass to yearbook editor to come grab a camera and go to science class to document science lab with an explosion.
Advisory – 11:19 - 11:44 Yearbook editor comes to my advisory to sort through sports shots taken this week.
Lunch 11:50-12:20 Go to back to screenprinting lab and print custodial shirts. (Keeping the custodial staff on your side is an essential lesson learned when working at a school)
Period 5 12:26-1:17 Yearbook – 12:30- Yearbook interviewing  lesson – 12:45 - students do mock interviews – 12:50 – Get editors brainstorming on Underclass page topics
2:14 Bell rings
2:20 Yearbook student comes to check out sports camera to shoot a game
2:25 Head to office to check mailbox
2:40 Go to amphitheater to shoot JV and Varsity Cross Country team photo
2:45 Go to gym to shoot volleyball game.
3:45 Pack up – Back to room to turn all computers off and head to parents’ house to pick up baby.
4:15 Arrive at parents’ house, chat, change a diaper, then strap baby in car seat and head home.
5:00 Arrive Home and Start cooking dinner
5:20 Wife arrives home; Finish dinner and eat.
6:15 Head out to another local high school (they are resurfacing ouR track and field) to meet yearbook student to help shoot field hockey photos.
6:30 Arrive at game.
6:35  Shoot team photo.
6:45 game on – start shooting action photos 7:00 Student arrives/set up camera for her and start shooting and providing tips
8:00 Go home – Try to catch the end of Monday Night Football Game
8:15 Kiss baby goodnight
8:30 Asleep on couch
9:30 Wife wakes me up tell me to go to bed.