As each the new year starts, every school is looking for ideas and techniques to level up its branding game. The high school newspaper is certainly one of the most flexible ways to keep students and faculty informed about what’s going on in and around campus while showcasing your resources to prospective students and parents. So, let’s see how you can use this tool.
Top Ideas for School Newspapers
Here are some topics and ideas that will make your school newspaper a must-read.
Student Profiles
Everyone has a story to tell! What better place than your newspaper to share interesting stories and showcase the diversity and unique personalities of your school? Encourage your students from various grades, interests, and backgrounds to share experiences that can be instructive for other students.
Sports Stories
Some schools are known for their sports teams and school clubs. Whether you are part of this group or not, sports coverage is always a hit that will give your school paper more exposure. You can cover games and matches, highlight star athletes, and feature profiles of coaches or trainers to keep school rivalries at a healthy level.
Campus Events
The next great idea for newspaper articles is to cover current events at the campus. From pep rallies to school dances, field trips, and community service projects, there’s always something going on around campus. Be sure to cover these events and capture the excitement of students and faculty.
Opinion Pieces
You can also encourage students and teachers to write opinion articles in the school papers. This is a great opportunity for the school community to voice their opinions on topics that matter to them, such as the importance of school policy to the national economy, political events, education trends, etc. Your role is to encourage respectful and constructive discussion.
School News
Keep everyone up-to-date on the latest school news, such as new buildings or renovations, changes in staff, and upcoming events. The news stories section can also include announcements and reminders about important dates or deadlines to help students stay on track.
Creative Writing
Writing articles for school newspapers can become a burdensome task if you don’t manage the balance between informative and creative content. So, occasionally publish short stories, poetry, or other creative writing pieces from students and faculty. You can even create a section on the latest movies on the front page to make it more engaging.
Technology and Social Media
When your target audience is mostly the younger generation, it’s important to keep your article ideas relevant and up to date. For example, you can talk about the latest apps, websites, and gadgets or explore the impact of social media on student life and discuss best practices for using technology responsibly.
Student Life
Many prospective students want to have an inside look at your organization and understand what it’s really like to be a student at your school. This is a part where you can include everything from school policies and school uniforms to effective study habits, stress management techniques, and everything that relates to student life.
Alumni Stories
Keeping the student body connected is a challenging task. One of the best ways to maintain a deep, personal relationship between school community members is to connect with alumni and showcase their successes and achievements.
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You can invite your successful alumni to a friendly interview to inspire current students and show them the potential that their education can unlock.
Faculty Features
Last but not least, you should always highlight the accomplishments and interests of your school’s faculty members. Start with a brief introduction to your school history and school name. Then introduce your staff, their research projects, hobbies, or unique backgrounds. This is a great way to showcase the diversity and capabilities of the people on your team.
For more marketing ideas
There are many benefits you can get from starting your own school newspaper. It will help your students develop their writing and communication skills and learn how to organize their thoughts.
But more importantly, the school newspaper can promote school spirit by highlighting the accomplishments of students and faculty members and help you build a sense of community. Remember to encourage feedback and suggestions from your audience to ensure your newspaper meets their needs and interests.
Here at School Webmasters, we can help you face all marketing challenges. First, check out our Marketing Your School Calendar. It contains marketing tips, guidelines, and 250 pages of detailed marketing steps for every day of the school year in one handy reference.
At School Webmasters, we offer you the ultimate school marketing solution, from website design to social media management, website maintenance, and more. You can easily get a quote right now or just contact us (call 888.750.4556 and speak with Jim).