The short answer
TacBoard gives a school dance or event its own QR code, plus a text number on the $159 plan. Students upload or text photos and they appear on a projector or screen in the venue within seconds. An automatic content filter checks every photo and message. Anything it flags waits in a queue where you approve or delete it, and you can block a sender. Every photo lands in one private gallery, which makes collecting candids for the yearbook easy. A single event is $49 with QR code only or $159 with a text number. Schools, student councils and PTOs that run events all year use the $99/month plan.
- Events
- Prom, homecoming, winter formal, middle school dances, spirit week, senior night, graduation
- Students
- Scan a QR code or text a photo. No app, no account.
- Staff control
- Content filter, review queue, block a sender, delete anything
- Afterwards
- Every photo in one gallery for the yearbook and the school's channels
Prom, homecoming and school dances
At a dance, nearly every student has a phone out. A screen that shows those photos a few seconds after they're taken turns the photos into part of the night: students crowd around it, send more, and see friends from other groups they would have missed.
- Prom. Run the stream on a projector in the ballroom or a TV near the photo backdrop. Preload class photos from freshman year for a throwback loop during dinner.
- Homecoming and winter formal. A screen near the entrance or the snack table keeps the gym lively between songs.
- Middle school dances. QR uploads work well for younger students, and staff review what appears before it reaches the screen if anything is flagged.
- After-prom and lock-ins. Chaperones and students fill the screen all night, and parents can view the gallery link at home.
QR or text?
For most student crowds the $49 QR Code plan is enough, since students scan codes without thinking. Choose the $159 plan if parents, grandparents or staff will be sending photos too.
Keeping it appropriate
School events need a screen that never puts a student in a bad spot. TacBoard gives the staff member running it control over what appears:
- Automatic filtering. An automatic content filter checks every photo and message. Anything it flags waits in a queue where you approve or delete it, and you can block a sender.
- Delete instantly. Any photo can be removed from the screen and the gallery at any time, from a phone or the laptop running the stream.
- Names attached. Texted photos carry the sender's name, and the upload page asks students for their name, so staff know who sent what.
- A private gallery. The gallery is not public or searchable; only people with the link can see it.
Follow your district's photo and media policies, including any opt-outs for students whose photos may not be shared. TacBoard makes those policies easier to follow, but it does not replace them.
Collecting photos for the yearbook
Yearbook staff spend the year chasing candid photos from events they couldn't attend. A TacBoard gallery at each event collects them automatically, at full quality when uploaded through the QR page, with the sender's name on each.
- Put the QR code on every dance, game and spirit-week sign so photos flow into one place.
- Hosts download the whole gallery in one click. Hand the download to the yearbook adviser after each event.
- On the monthly plan, one number and QR code can stay on every sign all year.
Other school events it works for
| Event | How schools use it | More |
|---|---|---|
| Graduation parties and senior night | Throwbacks from families plus live photos | Graduation & senior nights |
| Sports and activity banquets | A slideshow around the awards program | Awards & banquets |
| PTO auctions and galas | Guest photos alongside sponsor slides | School galas |
| Spirit week, pep rallies and games | A screen in the commons or gym that students fill | This page |
| Class reunions | Old yearbook photos and new ones together | Reunions |
| Teacher and staff events | Conferences, retirements and appreciation days | Teachers' associations |
| Scout and club events | A year of photos on one number | Scout troops |
Setting it up for a dance
- 1
Create the gallery
Pick the plan and name the gallery after the event. You can buy up to 12 months before the event and start collecting photos right away.
- 2
Preload a few photos
Upload a welcome image, the theme graphic and some throwbacks so the screen isn't empty when doors open.
- 3
Print the QR signs
The free sign shop makes posters and table cards with your QR code. Put one at the entrance, the photo backdrop and the snack table.
- 4
Connect the screen
Connect a laptop to the gym projector or a TV, open the gallery and click Display Live. See the projector guide.
- 5
Assign one staff member to the queue
An automatic content filter checks every photo and message. Anything it flags waits in a queue where you approve or delete it, and you can block a sender.
- 6
Download for the yearbook
Hosts download the whole gallery in one click.
Pricing for schools
| Plan | Price | How guests send photos | Own phone number | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| QR Code | $49 One time, per event | Scan a QR code or open a link, upload from the phone's browser | No | Events outside the US and Canada, smaller budgets, younger crowds |
| SMS & QR Code | $159 One time, per event | Text photos to the event's own number, or use the QR code | Yes, active until 30 days after the event | Weddings, awards nights, memorials and any crowd with older guests |
| Unlimited SMS & QR Code | $99/month Monthly, cancel anytime ($198 due at signup covers the first two months) | Text or QR code | Yes, stays on while subscribed | Venues, schools, associations and planners running events every month |
Every plan includes unlimited guests and photos, the live photo stream, a private gallery that never expires and the free sign shop. See pricing
Student councils and activity offices that run homecoming, winter formal, prom and spirit week can cover the whole year with the monthly plan, keeping one QR code and number on every sign.
Frequently asked questions
Do students need to download an app?
No. Guests never download an app or create an account. They scan the QR code or text a photo.
Can staff stop inappropriate photos from showing?
An automatic content filter checks every photo and message. Anything it flags waits in a queue where you approve or delete it, and you can block a sender.
Who can see the photos afterwards?
Only people you share the gallery link with. The gallery is private and not searchable.
Can the yearbook staff get full-quality photos?
Photos uploaded through the QR code page keep the original file. Photos sent by text arrive at the size the guest's carrier delivers over MMS, which is usually compressed.
Can students send videos?
TacBoard collects photos and short text messages. It does not accept video uploads.
Is there a plan for a whole school year?
Yes. The Unlimited plan is $99/month and keeps one number and QR code active for every event while you are subscribed.
Last reviewed by the TacBoard team.