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Schools

Citrus High yearbooks miss the final bell

The yearbook staff missed a deadline, but the adviser says she was assured the books would arrive on time.

By EDDY RAMIREZ
Published May 26, 2006

INVERNESS - Just hours before Wednesday's graduation ceremony, Citrus High School principal Leigh Ann Bradshaw gave seniors some bad news: Their yearbooks had not arrived as promised.

Jostens, the publishing company, was still holding the yearbooks in a warehouse somewhere in Tennessee. The covers were not done drying.

"Now, we were very furious," said assistant principal Jack Brady. At one point, he had offered to drive to Tennessee to pick up the order.

Seniors had been looking forward to friends and favorite teachers signing their yearbooks before graduation. Now, if they want the books, they'll have to come back to school.

A company spokesman said Thursday the 500 yearbooks will arrive today. They will be handed out during a pizza party for seniors; those who cannot attend the lunch will receive their yearbooks in the mail. Other students will get their yearbooks after they're done taking exams today.

Their peers at the two other high schools have had theirs for some time now. Brady said the school has "taken a lot of heat" from parents and students.

Thursday, two days before the start of summer vacation, patience had all but evaporated on campus.

"People are saying this is outrageous," said sophomore Heatherann Tenowich. "I paid $65 for that yearbook and I still haven't gotten it."

In the meantime, Tenowich and other students have been using blank sheets of paper to collect signatures from teachers and friends. They can attach them to the back of the yearbook once it arrives, school officials told them.

"It's kind of pathetic, if you ask me," sophomore Ashley Eppa said as she leafed through her temporary yearbook, which had only a few signatures.

Ashley and other students lamented not being able to have their yearbooks in class, point to photos from the past year and laugh about those moments with their friends.

Teacher Kathleen Watson, who oversaw the school's yearbook staff, said Thursday she bore some responsibility for the delay. She said the staff was two weeks late sending the final pages to Jostens.

Despite the delay, Watson said, the company had assured her the yearbooks would arrive before graduation. She said it's not uncommon for school yearbook staffs to miss deadlines.

Brady, the assistant principal, said the school will work harder next year to meet deadlines. The school is also considering whether to continue doing business with Jostens, Brady said.

A Jostens spokesman said Thursday the company was working hard to resolve the situation but stopped short of assuming full responsibility for the delay.

Eddy Ramirez can be reached at 860-7305 or eramirez@sptimes.com

[Last modified May 26, 2006, 00:50:07]