Recruit. Recruit. Recruit.
Talk to English teachers, not just the AP teachers but all of them. Get names and then contact those students. Set up a time to meet with the "chosen ones" that allows more than one hour of discussion.
Then, brainstorm to get ideas out in the open. Once you have selected a staff, it's time to start planning. You may have to start at the very beginning: What will the format be? Does the staff want a minitab, a tab or a broadsheet? Can you raise enough funds to have the publication printed or should it be an online site?
A tabloid is defined as "roughly 17 by 11 inches (432 by 279 mm)" and commonly "half the size of a broadsheet"; confusion can arise because "many broadsheets measure roughly 291⁄2 by 231⁄2 inches (749 by 597 mm)", half of which is roughly 15 in × 12 in (381 mm × 305 mm) not 17 in × 11 in (432 mm × 279 mm). One even smaller size is called a mini-tab.
Let students know that this endeavor will NOT be a play period but will require time and commitment on their part. Discuss what ethics are involved to publish a publication that is fair, impartial and representative of the school.
Let the group know that you will help them stay legal by referring them to a link to media law and the Student Press Law Center. This is not to frighten the neophytes but to assure them that this publication will be "professional" in nature.
Now, it may be time to begin talking about the bells and whistles of producing the publications. What are News Values. How does a reporter gather information? By interviewing. Once the information is gathered, what are some helpful tips for writing and editing and how the stories will be accompanied by photojournalism and design.
At the end of the first get-to-know-you session, give each student a handout which will include a quickie link to what they will need to know.
Good luck! You'll need it. (Just kidding. It'll be a blast.)