When Students Take The Lead

Submitted by James Choi, Lower School Principal and Marcus Ingram, Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging

The last line of our mission statement communicates how we seek to help students cultivate the “skills, values, and courage to meet the challenges of a changing world and make it better.” 

In this spirit, approximately twice a month, students and teachers gather as a community for Lower School assemblies. This is an intentional time that serves as a dynamic intersection of both learning and community building. During assemblies, we reinforce the core values of our school, acknowledge birthdays, and honor cultural celebrations that construct the diverse fabric of our school community. 

One significant shift this year is the way we are providing students with opportunities to lead and elevate their voices. For example, during an assembly in October, students took the stage to acknowledge Hispanic Heritage Month by sharing personal insights into the foods, cultures, and traditions that make this heritage so special for them and their respective families. During an assembly in November, a handful of students helped us honor Veteran’s Day by highlighting the courageous service of their family members. More recently, our upper elementary students prepared and rehearsed a skit to highlight what it means to make good decisions. It was presented with humor and levity and reinforced an age-appropriate message of how our choices impact others! 

In each of these moments, we celebrate the richness of our diverse community while helping students broaden their understanding of the world. And by providing a platform for students to take the lead, it simultaneously becomes a vital opportunity for them to develop the skills to become confident and capable young citizens. 

As cultural celebrations continue to arise throughout this school year, we will message these participation opportunities in our weekly Just The Facts communications.  In the meantime, we hope you will enjoy the following photos from the various Lower School assemblies so far.