Newspaper, Turned, A School, Calendar, Into, Something, Special

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An Iowa paper is leaping beyond newspapers with its creation of a niche product that has become a local favorite, lasting for many months and reaching a young audience.

The Fort Dodge Community School Calendar is put together by The Messenger, a 17,000-circulation daily newspaper that serves Fort Dodge, Iowa.

The full-color calendar, with a glossy front and high-quality newsprint pages, begins in August and ends in August of the following school year, said David Jakeman, advertising director for The Messenger.

The idea originated at a sister publication, Jakeman said, where it was shown to local school officials. “We said, ‘Wouldn’t it be nice to do something in full color, that has that durability to last all year?’”  Content

Although most of the calendar is made up of the month grids and the opposite photo pages, the first three pages contain school information. In addition to a phone directory  of school employees, the calendar includes school buildings and addresses, school procedures, lunch program information, student fees, vacation days, tardiness policy information, bus transportation information and legal notices.

The school district supplies that information along with all of the scheduling information that is included on the month grids, such as when a sporting event, board meeting or dance takes place, Jakeman said. The schools also provided some of the classroom photos featured on the photo pages, he said.