Instructions And Recommendations For The YPO Newsletter

CORRESPONDING SECRETARY

GOALS AND PURPOSE: I. To produce a newsletter with pertinent information about the organization, i.e., upcoming events and meetings. II. To send out notices and important information to the membership via emails.

FINANCES/BUDGET: Budget as set by the executive board is listed in yearbook

CONTACTS (past CS that can help you if needed) : Stacy Briggle, Julie Todaro, Maria Nicklaus, Holly Evans

SPECIAL SKILLS: Computer skills, ability to be creative and able to work with a deadline.

TIMELINE: Each Corresponding Secretary does nine (9) newsletters a year: June (summer), August/September, October, November, Dec./Jan.(1 issue), February, March, April & May.

I. Emails: The goal of this is to notify the members of upcoming meetings, activities or special events. The President will ask you to send out emails a few times each month. Examples are: 1. Reminder of the board meeting (at least 1 week prior to the meeting and include the minutes of the previous month’s meeting attached). 2. Reminder of the General meeting (at least 1 week prior to the meeting and include the minutes of the previous month’s meeting attached). 3. Special events happening 4. Urgent news We send them out using MailChimp. ( www.mailchimp.com) username:yponews1 Password: ypo12345 Email it’s attached to: [email protected]

**NOTE: ALL EMAILS SHALL BE APPROVED BY THE PRESIDENT BEFORE THEY ARE SENT

NOTES:  Each time you send out an email, you are sending a new “campaign”  Use the YPO template.  Be sure to update the email address list at the beginning of your year and when needed. (The most updated list can be obtained from the Vice President/Membership Chair.) Be sure to include the new provisionals.

II. The Newsletter The official deadline for information to be sent to you is the Friday after the General Meeting. Those dates are listed in the yearbook and you should announce them at the Board and General meetings as well as list it in the newsletter. (The June one can go out a bit later.) LAYOUT 1. Standards of each Newsletter a. President’s Letter (Front Page) b. Quote of the month (front page – if you want to include one) c. YPO’s mission (back cover – near where we put the mailing label - It’s important to show on every newsletter as a reminder of what we do.) d. List of Executive Board Members (above the label section on back cover) e. Birthdays (The yearbook chair can give you the updated list. You can copy and past the years before list and then add the provisionals and remove anyone who may have quit if that helps.) f. Intermezzo (It’s best to put this in the same place each newsletter) g. Calendar/Save the Dates h. Date and locations to the month board and general meetings (we no longer list directions since most people have GPS)

** Most of your information for the newsletter can be found in the yearbook, including the meeting locations, the calendar, birthday’s etc. But, double-check the dates such as calendar dates and hospitality lists each month with the appropriate chairs or the President because sometimes these things change.

YPO Notes Schedule: In addition to the items in every issue, below are additional items that could/should be also included during these months. This is a guideline. (Helpful hints are below the monthly schedule.)

June (summer addition) September (sent in late August)  Report & photos May Luncheon (1 page of photos)  Rising Stars (if any)  Report and photos of Voice Competition -if we have  JOG News (if any) one this year (one page)  Opera Previews (List for the year)  Dues and Subscription reminder (from the treasurer)  Teacher’s Workshop (details)  Gala/Ball Report (from the gala chairs)  Elections Results from June board meeting (ask  Summer birthdays (June, July and August – get President) updated list from yearbook chair)  Gala/Ball Report (you may need more than 1 page)  Our Donations (list of where we gave $ if any was given – as the new President about this)  Educator of Note (photo and bio of the winner) – ask Julie Todaro or Sheri Swanson  Rising Stars (if any)  JOG News (if any)  Editor’s note (introducing yourself – if you want)  Board luncheon photos (if you want - not critical)  Yearbook Photos information (ask yearbook chair)  Nomination information (the vote done at the June Board meeting)  Past President’s Luncheon (if it’s done in late April or May –it may be in an earlier newsletter) - ask PP liaison for details

October November  Teacher’s Workshop (review and photos)  Rising Stars (if any)  Provisional Class Page (include photo from their skit  JOG News (if any) and their names)  Provisional Spotlight (choose just a few each month if  Rising Stars (if any) you have room. You can add photos (either a group shot or  JOG News (if any) individuals) and have them send you a couple sentences  Gala/Ball Report (include additional events, Live about themselves.) Auction items, etc.)  Girl Scout Workshop(details)  Opera preview (if any in Nov.)  In School Opera News  Benefactor photos and review

December/January February  Birthdays for both months  Report of Annual Gold Star Winner (given in January)  Rising Stars (if any)  Vice President’s Corner  JOG News (if any)  In-School Opera (list of schools if not in Dec.)  Provisional Spotlight  Rising Stars (if any)  In School Opera (list of schools)  JOG News (if any)  Opera Previews (for Jan.)  Educator of Note  Girl Scout Workshop (review and photos)  Provisional Spotlight  In School Opera (if any news)  Spring Fling information  Vice President’s Corner  Gala Thank you from chairman  Photos from the Gala

March April  By-Laws!  Rising Stars (if any)  Nominating Committee!  JOG News (if any – probably the fashion show)  Rising Stars (if any)  Provisional Spotlight (if you haven’t done all of them  JOG News (if any) by now)  Provisional Spotlight  Spring Fling (photos and review)  Vice President’s Corner  In-School Opera update/recap (sometimes in May)  Opera Previews (if any in April)  Spring Fling information

May  Report of Annual Gold Star Winner (given in April) * IMPORTANT!!! Be sure to tell the next Corresponding  Report of Voice Competition (& photos) – done Secretary that since they take over the position from you at alternate odd years (07, 09, 11,…). the May luncheon, they should bring their camera (or use  Due and Subscriptions are due their phone) and take pictures of the luncheon for their June  Note from the editor (goodbye) newsletter. They can get photos from the luncheon chairs if  Gala Kick-off luncheon (photos and review) they have hired a photographer but should take their  Educator of Note Winner (bio and photo if camera/ phone just in case – as a back-up. available)  Membership Status (all the changes & list of provisionals)  Past President Luncheon (if held in April)  May luncheon details

Two additional items that you may need to include sometime are:  Opera Funtimes (whenever a new one is produced or updated)  Cookbook.

Creating the Newsletter  The Newsletters are created in Microsoft Publisher. If you don’t have the software, the previous chair should give it to you with the file box of previous newsletters. It is for PC’s only. If you only use a Mac, you can do it in “Pages” (2012-13 is in Pages), but that does not do well with photos. MS Publisher works best for our needs.  It’s best to use the template file to help create each month’s newsletter. It is laid out for you – all you have to do is “plug in” the articles the chairs send you. You may want to even use that month’s newsletter from the prior year (especially the first few times) to use as a guideline and ideas.

 Email the chairs of the committees that usually have articles in that month’s newsletter to ask for articles. It also helps to attend the board meetings to gather the important information and know what needs to be each month’s calendar.

 The First Draft should be completed a few days after the general meeting (some time that next week.)

 The President MUST proof it before it is sent out. It helps to have a good editor (besides the president) to review grammar, spelling of names, etc because the more set of eyes that reviews it, the better it will be.

 Email them out (using “Mail Chimp”) about a week before the next board meeting.

 Send it to the Printer at least 1 week before the next month’s Board meeting. The printer needs about a week to print & mail it them.   Try to keep your font a decent size & a readable one. Members have commented how it is appreciated by all if the words are readable and in a clear font. It’s better to have more pages than too small of font to fit everything in just a few pages.

 Be creative. You can add articles, clip art, photos and little poems if you like. The members LOVE PHOTOS. Try and put photos in of our events whenever possible. Additionally, there is always new clipart available from Microsoft on-line in Publisher.

 Enjoy! The newsletter takes time but is lots of fun too!

 Be sure to SAVE all your newsletters both on-line and hard copies A. Save on a CD of all of your monthly newsletters for the next Corresponding Secretary B. Please put 2 copies of each of your newsletters each month in the bin (saved by month) and an additional copy in the folder (year) for your year in office. o We save 2 each month so that if one is removed for some reason, a record will still be saved for future C.S. Save all the newsletters. Please try not to remove any if possible. o That 3rd copy in the “year” file will be saved in the YPO room at FGO’s headquarters so we have a backup and historical copy.

PRINTER Most of the members receive the newsletter now a days via email. However, a few still receive it via “snail mail”. We have a wonderful printer who does the printing, folding, and mailing for us. You can mail it to her in color and she’ll print them out in black and white (saves YPO money.) 1. The printer is Willmarie Rosa who owns a UPS Store. The contact information is: 18495 S. Dixie Hwy. Miami, FL 33157-6817 (305) 238-2242 [email protected] 2. You need to email her a printed copy of the final newsletter either as a PDF. Be sure to send an updated version of the mailing labels if needed. (Find out from the previous C.S. who still is on this list. ) . *** The Yearbook Chair can give you the most updated list of members and their addresses.

3. Willmarie will print them, fold them and will put the labels, closing tabs and stamps on them. You don’t have to supply her with any supplies, she just adds them to the cost.

4. COSTS: She will give you a quote at the beginning of your year in May (how much per page, plus stamps).

5. BILLING: Once Willmarie sends them out, she will email you the invoice. You need to forward it to the YPO Treasurer with your approval for payment as soon as you can. (Attach the YPO form for payment with the invoice.)