The Falconer transitioned from print to an online news platform from the 2024-25 school year following the retirement of former adviser Mia Smith.
By contrast to the previous system of distributing newspapers around campus every month, the Falconer website allows staff to publish daily, link stories to one another and advertise more local businesses throughout articles.
Kara Adler, who now teaches beginning journalism, advanced journalism, video/film I, TV production, advanced video/film and Falcon Vision adviser was approached about being the new adviser when she first arrived at the school around four years ago. She was officially appointed at the end of the 2023-24 school year, when she also got the opportunity to meet the incoming staff.
“I think the main change was just going from print to digital,” Adler said. “I tried to keep everything else pretty similar so it wasn’t a huge shift from one year to the next. Hopefully, as the year goes on, [I can] continue to work with editors to make more improvements.”
In addition to the transition online, Adler implemented a few new stylistic changes. “It has been a smooth and bittersweet transition,” staff writer, Viki Kiss (10) said.
“Although it has been a pretty significant transition, I have really enjoyed the Falconer’s updated approach to journalism and I think that overall this change was something that was necessary to enter the world of modern journalism,” Elsa Goodman (12),Falconer’s Director of Social Media said.
The idea of altering to a fully digital platform was first brought to attention when Adler presented it to the administration, Smith and previous Falconer editors.
“I suggested the idea a while back to Mia Smith because she came and talked to me about it my first year at Torrey — around four years ago,” Adler said. “She knew she was eventually going to retire, and knew I had taught journalism in the past. I casually brought up the idea [of transitioning to a digital platform], and she said she liked the idea, so as we got closer and closer to the time being.”
When the school opened in the fall of 1974, the Falconer began just one year later — marking its 50th anniversary last year. Overseen by Smith for the past 18 years, the Falconer has produced hundreds of paper copies. After Smith’s retirement, the Falconer decided to evolve, as the staff welcomed a new advisor and a new platform to share relevant stories with the community.
After everyone was on board with the transition, it was a short wait for it to be put into action. Over summer at the Falconer boot camp, editors shared information about sections, later conventions, and introduced newly utilized systems such as SNO FLOW to the rest of the members. The staff have been working on creating and publishing the website to have it running by the time school began in August.
The Falconer staff is beginning to find their groove with the new system and appreciates the opportunities it provides.
“As a new staff writer, it’s been really easy for everything to be fully online, especially with SNO FLOW too,” Kiss said. “I just feel like everything is laid out nicely and in an organized structure that makes it super simple to find what you are looking for on the website.”
The Falconer is now using an application called SNO FLOW, which displays deadlines, available stories, workflows and other visual plans necessary in the process of publishing stories. This helps facilitate communication between staff writers and editors.
The change from print to digital will bring new experience and changes to those involved in the class this year.
“I’m super excited about joining the Falconer and all the new things to come from it,” Kiss said. “I’m excited for it to be fully online, since I’ll be able to get more stories too.”
