About

The Carroll Charger Online Staff Manual

MISSION: The mission of The Charger Online is to unite the Carroll High School community and tell the complete story of Carroll High School. Our staff produces a high quality publication for students, about students and by students in a learning environment while adhering to the standards of professional journalists who preserve history, relate stories, and capture memories.

Staff Positions:

Editor-in-Chief: Keagan Mould

Opinions Editor: Erin Johnston

Features Editor: Chloe Rohloff

Sports Editor: Hunter Mitchell

Code of Ethics:

All students working for The Charger Online must sign the following Honor Statement before beginning work on the newspaper after having read through The Charger Online Staff Manual and must sign the statement again at the start of every new school year that the student continues to work for The Charger Online.

Honor Statement:

On my honor, I swear to uphold the ethics and virtues of The Charger Online as stipulated in The Charger Online Staff Manual as established by the tradition of The Charger Online including those of academic and journalistic honesty, impartiality, objectivity, accuracy, and service to the educational community of Carroll High School and beyond.

I swear to abide by all procedures stipulated in the document including those dealing with the content and presentation of material in The Charger Online and decisions over such content. I will carry out the responsibilities of my position on The Charger Online to the best of my ability and will work agreeably and in coordination with my higher editors if there are obstacles in the production of my needed material. On my honor I swear that all of the work that I produce will be my own and that I will always abide by the merits of respecting the work of others, abiding by paraphrasing plagiarism rules and rules regarding internet content or courtesy content. I realize that working for The Charger Online is a great responsibility, and I will commit myself to supporting its historic reputation through the addition of my own, unique voice.

Grievance Procedures

When a complaint is received from a reader or a source, the editor will discuss the complaint with the staff member involved. If the editor is not satisfied that the reporter accurately stated the facts or accurately quoted the source, the editor may order a correction in the next issue.

All complaints should be referred to the editor, who will determine the method of handling the problem. Staff members should never raise their voices or become abusive to a complaint. If the person should become abusive, transfer him/her to the advisor immediately.

In Case of Reporting NACS Community Deaths

When a death or tragedy occurs within the NACS community, the newspaper will address the situation with caution and compassion. Staff members will understand some information should be withheld due to personal grievances. Also, the newspaper as a whole will understand it will evoke certain feelings of discomfort from the audience. For each death we will appropriately address the situation with an obituary format with the maximum of 100 words. Therefore each name will be covered.

Bylines/Credit

This paper wishes to recognize the work of its practicing journalists, as well as inform the readers who is delivering the news to them. Any story (longer than 300 words), artwork or photograph will be bylined at the beginning of the article. The artist will sign artwork.

Anonymous Sources

The Charger Online reserves the right to use anonymous sources. Though the use of anonymous sources is highly discouraged, they may be used under special circumstances in a published article. In these cases, only the reporter, newspaper adviser, and the source themselves will know the source’s identity. However, in the article which uses the anonymous source will not reveal its source.

Staff Dismissal

If a student becomes detrimental to the production of the newspaper, the adviser reserves the right to seek the student’s dismissal. If a student continually fails to meet deadlines then dismissal is possible and probable.

Letters to the Editors

When receiving complaints or suggestions the editors will handle each situation with respect and diligence. Each particular suggestion will be taken seriously and addressed with respectful comments.

Job Descriptions/ Staff Outline

Editor in Chief:

Make sure every story has been edited
Correct any layout mistakes
Keep communication between members
Organize the agenda
Write the annual staff editorial
Develop the theme of the month

Social Media Editor:

In charge of choosing what to publish on the paper’s social media sites
Responsible for posting/tweeting out stories when they become available online
Spreading awareness about newspaper site via social media to increase traffic

Features Editor:

Develop stories for monthly focus
Assign headlines
Assign photos and art
Develops the student of month

Sports Editor:

Selection and interview of athlete of the month
Assigns headlines
Goes to important sport events and doubles as a reporter
Meet deadlines

Opinions Editor:

Assign headlines
Find a topic that you can run a poll on
Focus around the theme of the month

Staff Reporter:

Take part in the development of articles
Contribute to brainstorming sessions
Conduct appropriate research for articles
Finish drafts on time

Photography Editor:

In charge of pushing through edited photos
Creating the photo story for each issue
Making sure that every photo is appropriate for each story it is for
Give photo assignments to staff photographers

News Editor:

Assign headlines
Assign two people to peer edit
Doubles as a reporter
Helps keep the newspaper updated

Production Schedule Fall Semester:

Week 1
Aug 12: Monday: Story Idea meeting (have at least 3 ideas going into meeting)
Aug 13: Tuesday: Write questions (8-10 per interview), possible sources & visuals (photo, graphic, etc.)
Aug 15: Block Day: set up interviews, interview, rough draft of lede
Aug 16: Friday: Quiz, current events, work time, interviews
Week 2
Aug 19: Monday: interviews, rough draft to editor/coach
Aug 20: Tuesday: Make corrections to draft, follow up
Aug 22: Block Day: Deadline 1, publishing schedule (editors set schedule for story publication)
Aug 23: Friday: Edit for publication (headlines, visuals, etc.); quiz, current events, ideas for Monday’s meeting
Week 3
Aug 26: Monday: Story Idea meeting (have at least 3 ideas going into meeting)
Aug 27: Tuesday: Questions (8-10 per interview) & possible sources & visuals (photo, graphic, etc.)
Aug 29: Block Day: set up interviews, interview, rough draft of lede
Aug 30: Friday Quiz, current events, work time, interviews,
Week 4
Sept 2: Labor Day No School
Sept 3: Tuesday: Rough draft to editor, make fixes, follow up interviews
Sept 5: Block Day: Deadline 2, publishing schedule (editors set schedule for story publication)
Sept 6: Friday: Edit for publication (headlines, visuals, etc.); quiz, current events, ideas for Monday’s meeting
Week 5
Sept 9 Monday: Story Idea meeting (have at least 3 ideas going into meeting)
Sept 10: Tuesday: Questions (8-10 per interview) & possible sources & visuals (photo, graphic, etc.)
Sept 12: Block Day: set up interviews, interview, rough draft of lede
Sept 13: Friday Quiz, current events, work time, interviews,
Week 6
Sept 16: Monday: interviews, rough draft to editor/coach
Sept 17: Tuesday: Make corrections to draft, follow up
Sept 19: Block Day: Deadline 3, publishing schedule (editors set schedule for story publication)
Sept 20: Friday: Edit for publication (headlines, visuals, etc.); quiz, current events, ideas for Monday’s meeting
Week 7
Sept 23: Monday: Story Idea meeting (have at least 3 ideas going into meeting)
Sept 24: Tuesday: Questions (8-10 per interview) & possible sources & visuals (photo, graphic, etc.)
Sept 26: Block Day: set up interviews, interview, rough draft of lede
Sept 27: Friday Quiz, current events, work time, interviews,
Week 8
Sept 30: Monday: interviews, rough draft to editor/coach
Oct 1: Tuesday: Make corrections to draft, follow up
Oct 2: Block Day: Deadline 4, publishing schedule (editors set schedule for story publication)
Oct 3: Friday: Edit for publication (headlines, visuals, etc.); quiz, current events, ideas for Monday’s meeting
Week 9
Oct 7: Monday: LONGFORM Story Idea meeting (have at least 3 ideas going into meeting)
Oct 8: Tuesday: Research for LONGFORM
Oct 10: Block Day: set up LONGFORM interviews, interview, NUTGRAPH
Oct 11: Friday Quiz, current events, work time, interviews

Oct 14-Oct 18 Fall Break

Week 10
Oct 21: Monday: Story Idea meeting (have at least 3 ideas going into meeting)
Oct 22: Tuesday: Tuesday: Questions (8-10 per interview) & possible sources & visuals (photo, graphic, etc.)
Oct 24: Block Day: set up interviews, interview, rough draft of lede
Oct 25: Friday: Friday Quiz, current events, work time, interviews,
Week 11
Oct 28 Monday: interviews, rough draft to editor/coach
Oct 29: Tuesday: Make corrections to draft, follow up
Oct 31: Block Day Deadlines 5, publishing schedule (editors set schedule for story publication)
Nov 1: Friday: Edit for publication (headlines, visuals, etc.); quiz, current events, ideas for Monday’s meeting
Week 12
Nov 4: Monday: Story Idea meeting (have at least 3 ideas going into meeting)
Nov 5: Tuesday: Questions (8-10 per interview) & possible sources & visuals (photo, graphic, Nov 6: Parent/Teacher Conferences- NO students
Nov 7: Thursday set up interviews, interview, rough draft of lede
Nov 8: Friday Quiz, current events, work time, interviews,
Week 13
Nov 11: Monday: interviews, rough draft to editor/coach
Nov 12: Tuesday: Questions (8-10 per interview) & possible sources & visuals (photo, graphic, etc.)
Nov 14: Block Day: Deadline 6, publishing schedule (editors set schedule for story publication)
Nov 15*: Friday: Edit for publication (headlines, visuals, etc.); quiz, current events, ideas for Monday’s meeting
Week 14
Nov 18 Monday: Story Idea meeting (have at least 3 ideas going into meeting)
Nov 19 Tuesday: Questions (8-10 per interview) & possible sources & visuals (photo, graphic,
Nov 22 Block Day: set up interviews, interview, rough draft of lede
Nov 23 Friday Quiz, current events, work time, interviews,
Week 15
Nov 25: Pitch LONGFORM to class
Nov 26: Pitch LONGFORM to class
Thanksgiving Break
Week 16
Dec 2: Monday: interviews, rough draft to editor/coach
Dec 3: Tuesday: Make corrections to draft, follow up
Dec 5: Block Day: Deadline 7, publishing schedule (editors set schedule for story publication)
Dec 6: Friday: Edit for publication (headlines, visuals, etc.); quiz, current events
Week 17
Dec 9 – work on LONGFORM
Dec 10 – work on LONGFORM
Dec 12 – work on LONGFORM
Dec 13 – work on LONGFORM
Week 18-Finals Week
Dec 16 Finals Week