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Delhi Yearbook

RUTHERFORD B. HAYES HIGH SCHOOL DELHI YEARBOOK EDITORIAL POLICIES


“Congress shall make no law…abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press….”
-The First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America

“The vigilant protection of constitutional freedoms is nowhere more vital than in the community of American schools.”
-Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District

The Rutherford B. Hayes High School DelHi Yearbook Journalism Editorial Policy pertains to the yearbook. DelHi the official student-produced publication of yearbook journalists-students. DelHi has been established as a designated public forum for student editors to inform and educate their readers as well as for the discussion of issues of concern to their audience. It will not be reviewed or restrained by school officials prior to publication or distribution.  Advisers will – and should coach and discuss content – during the writing process. Because school officials do not engage in prior review, and the content of DelHI is determined by and reflects only the views of the student staff and not school officials or the school itself, its student editorial board and responsible student staff members assume complete legal and financial liability for the content of the publication.

RESERVE YOUR YEARBOOK NOW AND SAVE!

RESERVE YOUR YEARBOOK ONLINE TO GUARANTEE YOU GET ONE HERE:

www.yearbookforever.com

In order to guarantee that you get a yearbook, orders must be made by February 1st. A limited supply of extras will be available online, but they sell out quickly. Extra yearbooks may be ordered online until they sell out. We anticipate yearbooks coming in and being distributed during the second week of May.

*A limited supply of extra copies may be available after printing in the Spring, however we cannot guarantee a book will be available for you to purchase UNLESS you order online today at www.yearbookforever.com.

SENIOR PORTRAIT SUBMISSIONS

Our goal is to acquire high-quality photographs of all seniors for the senior portrait section of the yearbook.  Seniors may submit a photograph from any professional photographer for their yearbook portrait. 

Seniors:  check your email for further submission details (if you do not submit a senior portrait, we will use the one you took at school with Lifetouch for your lanyards).  Submissions are due by January 15th. 

Senior photo submission requirements:

  • A head & shoulder shot that would fit in a vertical frame;
  • In color;
  • Follows the school’s current dress code (no tank tops, hats, sunglasses, etc.);
  • Must be a professional photo - no selfies; and
  • Approved by the DelHi staff.


SENIOR TRIBUTE

Consider being part of PACER tradition. Immortalize your student’s senior year by purchasing SENIOR TRIBUTE in this year’s yearbook.  Senior ads appear in the last few pages of each yearbook or in the supplement.  It’s a place where parents and friends can purchase yearbook space to leave a lasting memory for their favorite senior(s). Popular ads of the past include poems, baby pictures, a picture of a group of friends, words of wisdom, motivational quotes, or secret messages special to the sender and recipient.

Senior ad submissions are due by January 15th. Order your Senior Tribute at www.yearbookforever.com.

BUSINESS ADS

The last few pages of the Hayes High School yearbook are allotted for our favorite local businesses, the ones close to our families, our hearts, and our stomachs!  Consider buying an ad space to show your company's Pacer Pride to the Delaware Hayes student body and their families. Thousands of eyes pass over the pages of a high school yearbook.

Business ad submissions are due March 1st. Order a Business Ad at www.yearbookforever.com.

GOT PICTURES?

We'll certainly consider them for use in the yearbook.  Get the Walsworth Yearbook Snap App App to share your shots, or email them to shermaaa@delawarecityschools.net.

INTERESTED IN BEING A DELHI STAFF MEMBER?

DelHi meets during the day in room 2111 and is a year-long class worth one elective credit.  Interested students should be in good academic standing; they should have had relative success in past English, art, journalism, or photography classes; they should be self-motivated, team-oriented, active learners who want to help archive the year's most memorable moments and people.  If interested, apply here.

BECOME AN ANGEL

Order a yearbook as a gift to a senior who is unable to purchase one!  Click HERE and order a book to show your support!

DELHI YEARBOOK POLICIES

I. FREEDOM OF THE PRESS

As it is essential to preserve the freedom of the press in order to preserve a free society,

  1. The media will serve the best interest of the students and faculty of Rutherford B. Hayes High School, keeping itself free from any commercial obligations distracting from this purpose; this is defined by the media itself;
  2. Any decisions affecting the publications on all levels will be made by the editorial board, the adviser is allowed to give legal advice and his opinion, but the final decision rests in the hands of the editorial board;
  3. Only the editorial board may prevent material it judges to be in violation of the media editorial policy, from being printed;
  4. All media will vigorously resist all attempts at censorship, particularly pre-publication censorship;
  5. All media retain the right to publish any and all material attained through an interview by a staff member of the publications staff, holding that the interviewee was made aware that the information could be published in any form at any time;
  6. All student media referenced in this editorial policy are designated public forums;
  7. Student journalists may use print and electronic media to report news and information, to communicate with other students and individuals, to ask questions of and consult with experts and to gather material to meet their newsgathering and research needs;
  8. DelHi and its staff are protected by and bound to the principles of the First Amendment and other protections and limitations afforded by the Constitution and the various laws and court decisions implementing those principles;
  9. DelHi will not publish any material determined by student editors or the student editorial board to be unprotected, that is, material that is libelous, obscene, materially disruptive of  the school process, an unwarranted invasion of  privacy, a violation of  copyright or a promotion of  products or services unlawful (illegal) as to minors as defined by state or federal law;
  10. Definitions and examples for the above instances of unprotected speech can be found in Law of the Student Press published by the Student Press Law Center.

II. THE EDITORIAL BOARD

  1. The editorial board will consist of all student staff editors.
  2. The editorial board decides on all decisions that pertain directly to the WHS media DelHi and their interests.
  3. No member of the editorial board shall have more than one vote on the board.
  4. All members of the editorial board and the adviser will elect a replacement for board members who have been dismissed.
  5. All members of the editorial board are expected to know their duties and jobs in the room and must understand the consequences of not fulfilling said jobs.
  6. The student editor and staff  who want appropriate outside legal advice regarding proposed content – should seek attorneys knowledgeable in media law such as those of the Student Press  Law Center. Final content decisions and responsibility shall remain with the student editorial board.
  7. The duly appointed editor or co-editors shall interpret and enforce this editorial policy.

III. THE ADVISER

  1. The adviser is a professional teaching staff member and is in charge of the class just as in a conventional classroom situation.
  2. Is a certified journalism teacher that serves as a professional role model, motivator, catalyst for ideas and professionalism, and an educational resource.
  3. Provides a journalistic, professional learning atmosphere for students by allowing them to make the decision of content for the media and ensuring the media will remain an open forum.
  4. Guides the newspaper staff in accordance with approved editorial policy and aids the educational process related to producing the newspaper.
  5. May caution, act as legal consultant and educator in terms of unprotected speech, but has no power over censorship or veto except for constitutionally valid reasons.
  6. Will keep abreast of the latest trends on journalism and share these with students.
  7. Will submit the school yearbook and online content produced by the students to rating services and contests in order for the school publications staff to receive feedback.
  8. Will forward any received correspondence and/or information to the appropriate editors.
  9. Will provide information to the staff about journalism scholarships and other financial aid, and make available information and contacts concerning journalism as a career.
  10. Will work with the faculty and administration to help them understand the freedoms accorded to the students and the professional goals of the school publications.
  11. The adviser will not act as a censor or determine the content of the paper. The adviser will offer advice and instruction,  following the Code of Ethics for Advisers established by the Journalism Education Association as well as the Canons of Professional Journalism. School officials shall not fire or otherwise  discipline advisers for content in student media that is determined and published by the student staff.

IV. THE BUILDING ADMINISTRATION

  1. The Rutherford B. Hayes High School administration will provide the students of RBHHS with a qualified journalism instructor to serve as a professional role model, adequate classroom equipment, and space for a sound journalism program.
  2. RBHHS administration will offer equal opportunity to minority and/or marginalized students to participate in journalism programs.
  3. RBHHS administration is not required to view and approve publication content before publishing.

V. CONTENT OF RBHHS DelHi

A. INTRODUCTION

All content decisions will be made in occurrence to the following provisions, while keeping in mind that the overall purpose, role and goal of all RBHHS Media is to:

  1. Inform, interpret, and entertain their viewers through accurate and factual reports, where information has been thoroughly gathered and information has been completely verified;
  2. Serve as an educational laboratory experience for those on staff;
  3. Be accurate, fair, and impartial in its coverage of issues that affect the school community;
  4. DelHi will not avoid publishing a story solely on the basis of  possible dissent  or controversy;
  5. Cover the total school population as effectively and accurately as possible;
  6. The staff of DelHi will strive to report all issues in a legal, objective, accurate and ethical  manner, according  to  the Canons of  Professional Journalism developed by the Society for Professional Journalists. The Canons of  Professional Journalism include a code of  ethics concerning accuracy, responsibility, integrity, conflict of  interest, impartiality, fair play, freedom of  the press, independence, sensationalism, personal  privacy, obstruction of  justice, credibility and advertising.
B. REGARDING PROFANITY
  1. The media will not print unnecessary profanity.
  2. The editorial board will make the decision on whether content is considered profane or whether it is a cultural or non-vulgar slang term.
  3. The editorial board reserves the right to edit quotes for unnecessary profanity or unnecessarily offensive words, quotes that have been edited will be noted accordingly when published.
  4. Any edited quote will be read back to the source prior to publishing and sources will have a chance to make changes.
  5. Staff interviewers have the right to ask a source when necessary to repeat a quote without the use of profane language.
C.  REGARDING STAFF WRITING
  1. All writing in the media, other than letters to the editor in the newsmagazine, will be written by students of the journalism program and will not be accepted otherwise.
  2. RBHHS students outside of the media staff will have the opportunity to submit writing to the media.
  3. Any writing submitted from an outside source for use will be accepted upon request of the editorial board or when open opportunities arise, and will be viewed by EiCs and adviser for verification.
  4. Any material submitted from an outside source can be edited by the editorial board and must comply to this policy.
  5. Writing must be the original work of the writer and not previously published in any publication, unless otherwise specified by the adviser and EiCs.
D. REGARDING CONTROVERSIAL ISSUES
  1. All coverage of controversial issues will occur upon a timely subject.
  2. All sides of the issue will be presented and reviewed so as to refrain from any bias, with exception of opinions.
  3. In news, all sides of a school, community, city, state, national, or international political issue will be presented factually so as to inform rather than promote or endorse.
  4. The media will not publish material that is unnecessarily obscene, libelous, or an unwarranted invasion of privacy.
  5. The media will not attack.
  6. If question on the veracity of publication persists, the issue will be brought to the editorial board who must consider the following questions before publication of the piece:
    • Why is it a concern?
    • What is its journalistic purpose?
    • Is the information accurate and complete?
    • Are any important POV omitted?
    • How would we feel if the story was about ourselves or someone we know?
    • What are the consequences’ of the publication?
    • Is there a logical explanation to anyone who challenges the issue?
    • Is it worth risking our credibility?
    • What are the alternatives?
E. REGARDING BYLINES
  1. All articles, graphics, photos, art, columns, pages, reviews, and other material creatively conceived, with exception to staff editorials, mug shots and cut-outs will be bylined with the producer’s name.
  2. All bylined writers will be held accountable for their work.
  3. When more than one person has contributed creatively to a piece of work, any person who has contributed to the work must be bylined as a producer.
F. REGARDING NEWS AND FEATURES
  1. The media will specialize in and emphasize on informing their readers of school news and unique students of the RBHHS community.
  2. The media will cover community, state, national, and international news if it is directly relevant to the school community, and includes local angles.
  3. The media will strive to provide coverage to all school organizations and functions.
  4. When faced with the undesirable news such as student or staff or faculty crimes, the publications will endeavor to publish the facts correctly, explain the issue, and put a stop to any speculative stories that inevitably develop.
  5. Major district issues and news will be priority over school news (these major issues will be decided by the editorial board).
G.  REGARDING DEATHS
  1. Any current student, staff member, faculty member or building administrator that dies during the year will be recognized in the school media.
  2. The media will publish factual information (date of birth, date of death, survivors, organizations, hobbies, interests) in a brief obituary including one mug shot.
  3. The school media will work to obtain permission from the deceased’s family before publishing any information regarding the cause of death, if permission is not granted, the editorial board reserves the final say in publication of cause of death. Suicide will not be listed as a cause of death.
  4. The school media will treat all deaths in a tasteful, respectful way.
  5. An issue, or portion of an issue, should not be dedicated to or in memory of the deceased.
  6. Any current student, staff member, faculty member, or building administrator that dies during the year will be recognized in the school yearbook.
  7. The school yearbook will publish factual information (date of birth, date of death, survivors, organizations, hobbies and interests) and one 1” x 2” mug shot if possible in a 1/8 page space.
H.  REGARDING ILLUSTRATIONS, PHOTOGRAPHS, GRAPHICS, ETC.
  1. All cutlines will record the who and other necessary information in the photo.
  2. All photographs must be captioned and bylined, with the exception of mugs and cutouts.
  3. Bylines are required on all online photos and galleries.
  4. Any photographs that contain any inappropriate attire or actions must be reshot.
  5. Artwork represents the interpretations of the artist, not necessarily of the staff or RBHHS.
  6. The publications will not publish any photos, illustrations etc. that ridicule, demean, or misleadingly represent any individual or group.
  7. Electronic manipulations changing the essential truth of  the photo or illustration will be clearly labeled if  used.
I. REGARDING ERRORS
  1. Concerns about errors in the yearbook may be submitted though the adviser, the email is shermaaa@delawarecityschools.net.
  2. The editorial board retains the right to determine whether, in fact, an error has been made.
  3. Known and or found errors that are brought to the attention of the school media will be addressed regardless if realized by author, audience, or staff member.
J. REGARDING ADVERTISING
  1. The publications will not accept advertising for products that are illegal for minors to purchase and/or use.
  2. Students not of legal age whose photographs appear in an advertisement of the publications are required to sign a model release form, as well as their legal guardian.
  3. The publications will not run advertising without a proper signature on the advertising contract which explains terms of payment, content, size, publishing dates, includes attached layout which explains the terms of payment, content, size.
  4. The publications will not accept personal or classified advertising.
  5. All ads need to be approved by the editorial board, any ad not deemed appropriate by the board will not run.
  6. The publications will cease to publish advertising of any advertiser that does not meet payment obligations specified in school contact.
  7. Advertising that appears in the media is not necessarily endorsed by the media or its staff members, editorial board or adviser.
  8. All ads are billed on Jan. 15 unless alternative arrangements are made with the adviser.
K. REGARDING DISTRIBUTION AND CIRCULATION
  1. The yearbook will begin at no less than 160 pages in publication format unless it is a special edition. The number of pages can however be altered if need be under the decision of the adviser and/or editorial board.
  2. Daily updates will be made to the website throughout the week during the school year. While less frequent, updates will be made to the site during breaks.
  3. All budget surpluses are to be used for future production of the school media.
  4. The yearbook will be distributed during May.
  5. The school yearbook will be sold for $75.
L. INDIVIDUAL PORTRAIT POLICY
  1. Senior portraits must be taken by a professional photographer.
  2. All senior portraits must arrive to the yearbook staff by Jan. 15th.
  3. Any senior who fails to get their yearbook portrait taken by the senior photographer contracted by the yearbook staff, will not be pictured in the yearbook senior section.
  4. Portraits provided by the school photographer will be used for students in grades 9-12 and for the faculty members. Because of plant deadlines and the possibility of students missing portrait day, the yearbook staff is not responsible for unavailable portraits of students.
  5. The section/grade placement of student portraits will be determined by the student’s first semester status.
  6. Grade or name designations will only be changed with written permission by student, student’s parent, and a member of the administration.
  7. Photo omissions will only occur for students or faculty with written permission by the student and a member of the administration.
  8. The Editorial Board reserves the right to review or omit questionable or inappropriate portraits.
  9. Names in the mugs section will appear as supplied by the student during portrait day unless otherwise requested.
  10. Portraits will consist of one individual only. No other persons or props are permitted.
M. SOCIAL MEDIA
  1. Social media will be used to promote RBHHS media, to promote published content and to engage the RBHHS community.
  2. The editorial board reserves the right to remove comments that violate any provisions hitherto outlined by this policy.
  3. Information posted on social media platforms should be held to the same standard as all other reporting in terms of information gathering and fact checking.
  4. The official social media accounts should avoid promotion of events and remain objective, reporting what is fact. Reporters using personal social media to cover events should do the same.
  5. Information gained through social media channels should be verified through multiple channels before passing it along to others.
  6. Audience engagement through social media should be done in a professional manner.
  7. Staff members using applications to post updates to social media accounts should have separate applications for their personal account and for the school media accounts. This will limit the chance of a post being sent from the wrong account.
  8. Transparency is important. Mistakes made on social media posts should be corrected as soon as possible and any deleted posts should be acknowledged in subsequent postings.
N. PUBLICITY
  1. The goal of media marketing is to promote and expand the media viewing audience.
  2. The publicity team will work with all aspects of the media.
  3. Contests are run by members of the staff and regulated by the school’s marketing team and EiCs.
  4. Every contest must have its own set of rules which will be posted in a place visible to the student body and contest participants.
  5. All contest rules will be posted online.
  6. All contest rules are to be tailored and agreed upon by the editorial board before start of the contest.
  7. Members of DelHI will not be allowed to enter or win contests put on by the publicity team.
  8. The publicity team will work to attend all major events held by the district or school with the intent of promotion.
  9. All events or important dates known by adviser, staff members or editorial board will be passed along to the Director of Marketing.
  10. The Director of Marketing will work to create a marketing team for each new event.
  11. Ad trade-outs are regulated by the Business Manager and Director of Marketing, ad trade-outs are given on a 1 for 1 basis.
  12. The Director of Marketing will work with the web team to promote the publication through outside sources such as Facebook or X.
O.  PRIOR REVIEW POLICY
  1. Sources will be able to have quotes read back at the time of interview or at reporter’s initiative.
  2. Sources will not be able to arbitrarily demand to read the reporter's completed story and then perform editing tasks on that story.
  3. The media reporters will endeavor to include the name and identity of all sources if the reporter believes that doing so will not result in endangerment, harassment or any other form of undue physical, mental, emotional anguish for the source.
  4. The media reporters will not, within all boundaries of law, reveal a source who asks to remain nameless.
  5. All media interviewers will respect the interviewees rights to have information remain “off the record” if the fact is known before giving the information to the interviewer.
  6. The media will not be reviewed by anyone outside of the editorial board aside from the adviser prior to its release to the public, the adviser is allowed to review the publication, but not required to, for the sole purpose of acting as legal consultant and educator in terms of unprotected speech; the adviser reading content is not considered prior review unless he/she makes changes or directs changes.
P. STUDENT & STAFF PUBLICATION POLICY
  1. All students and staff of RB Hayes High School are eligible for publication in the RBHHS student media.
  2. Any student or staff member wishing to ‘opt out’ of being published in the student media needs to fill out the appropriate ‘opt out’ form with the guidance office and alert the student media adviser of plans to ‘opt out.’
  3. All efforts will be made to keep students and staff who have ‘opted out’ of coverage from publication in the RBHHS Media

VI: STAFF POLICY FOR SELECTION AND DISMISSAL

A.  EDITOR AND STAFF SELECTION PROCESS
  1. Editor in chief(s) and other editor level positions are chosen by faculty adviser, with input from the previous year’s editorial board.
  2. New and returning staff are judged by application, previous work, potential and perquisite class work.
  3. Applicants are not turned down because of age, race, sex, religion, mental or physical handicap that do not impair editorial responsibilities.
  4. Staff applications are due in February of each year prior to registration.
  5. The staff and editors are selected prior to registration each February. The adviser reserves the right to make changes to the list as he/she deems necessary after the registration deadline.
  6. Editor titles and positions are not named until after all media have finalized publication for the previous year.
B. REGARDING STAFF DISMISSAL
  1. All individuals involved with RBHHS media are considered a team, each member is expected to complete all assigned stories, pages, photos, etc. on or before the assigned deadline. Staff members, including editors, may be dismissed from their positions and/or the publications staff itself if any of following violations occur:
    • continuously missed deadlines (dismissal procedures will take place by choice of adviser and EICs)
    • Plagiarism
    • Quote falsification
    • Vandalism or theft of publication equipment
    • Continuous negative or pessimistic attitude toward staff member or adviser
    • Submitting an advanced page design, story, photo or other publishable item to anyone outside the media staff without approval by the editorial board
    • Two suspensions in one academic year
    • Failing to fulfill job as outlined in job description
  2. Major infractions will result in immediate dismissal from staff duties and dismissal from class and staff at the end of semester(major infractions include but are not limited to following: plagiarism, vandalism, theft).
  3. Minor infractions will be given a written warning for the first one. The second one is immediate dismissal from staff duties and dismissal from class and staff at the end of semester.
  4. Warnings will be written and signed by the adviser and editor-in-chiefs, as well as staff members in question.
  5. An editor will be stripped of his her title if suspended.
  6. First misdemeanor or arrest will result in the loss of editor’s title, and second will result in dismissal from staff.
  7. Each member of the editorial board and adviser will attend a meeting with potentially dismissed students to discuss the issue, and the adviser will make the final decision.
  8. The academic nature of the school yearbook class allows removal of editors or staff members when school and or established media policy is violated.
  9. The above list infractions could all result in dismissal however, staff dismissals are not limited to the listed infractions.
  10. A dismissed staff member receiving academic credit may be given a grade of F and will not be allowed to register for any other journalism courses (will not preempt school policy).
  11. Dismissal procedures are reviewed and approved by the editorial board
  12. The dismissed staff member may appeal their dismissal in writing to the editorial board within three school days following dismissal
  13. All dismissal appeals will be directed to the building principal and the editorial board

VII. QUERIES

  1. Questions or complaints concerning material published in the media should be made in writing to the editor in chief(s) who will present the concern at the next scheduled editorial board meeting.
  2. Complaints and suggestions may be emailed to shermaaa@delawarecityschools.net or dropped off in room 2111.
  3. Resolutions will be made within the limits of deadlines.

VIII. PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATION

  1. The RBHHS DelHi student-journalists should be a member of state, national, and/or international organizations.
  2. The RBHHS media will work to be in contact with professional media such as the Delaware Gazette and The Dispatch as well as other individuals and companies in the communications field ranging from public relations and advertising to promotions and copy writing.