You may be the Principal, Counselor, PTA President or a Community Leader who wants their students to hear a powerful message. You’ve been assigned the duty of planning a school assembly during this calendar year and you don’t know where to start.
Here are 5 school assembly planning tips to help you get started:
1. Choose your topic. Every school assembly will have a thought out theme that the school can rally around. Some known topics include: Drug Abuse, Bullying Prevention, Cyber Safety, Wise Choices or Staying Motivated. Be sure to have students involved in activities leading up to the assembly and after the assembly that reflect the message of the gathering.
2. Create a budget. Know what you have to work with before you begin planning. Like any gathering, it’s going to cost money to pull off a school assembly. PTA & PTO groups know this is true because from day one they are fundraising for student activities. Most schools combine money from different accounts to pull off an unforgettable assembly for their students.
3. Choose a date/time/venue. Look at the calendar and book early. Most speakers and entertainers are booked 1-3 months in advance. Set a couple dates that are convenient for the school and continue planning. Morning times work best because students can have time to debrief the message as to having a show at the end of the day and students leaving right when the assembly is over. Be sure to have a venue in mind that will allow the entire student body to sit comfortably or else you may have to pay a little more for an additional assembly. Auditoriums are best for speakers and gymnasiums are perfect for entertainers such as a BMX Freestyle Team.
4. Hire a speaker. I know that you have a cousin that is funny and he can speak to your students during his lunch break but remember that your reputation is on the line. This is especially crucial if your school wants a prevention message. Hire an anti-bullying speaker with prevention experience that knows how to sustain a young audience for at least an hour. Shouldn’t your students get the best that their school can provide? Tap into the community if your school has zero budget and see if a local business or non-profit can sponsor an event.
5. Invite parents and community. Always keep parents in the loop when you invite an external person/group that is going to influence their kid. Host a parent night the evening of the school assembly to increase parent participation. Students will go home and talk about the fun school assembly and will likely tell their parents or guardian to attend the night session. Tip: food will get more parents to attend so have a restaurant sponsor/cater the evening meal.
These five tips will help you in your school assembly planning efforts. Our team has worked with numerous school districts across the nation and would love to work with anyone who is working to plan a school assembly. Contact Us about your next assembly.
