Morning assemblies are a special time at CBA Elementary. Each morning, students in grades 2 – 6 gather to begin the day with a hearty “Buenos dias, estudiantes!” followed by a reminder we all need, as the Assembly leader announces, “This is the day the Lord has made!” Students respond in a chorus of “We will rejoice and be glad in it!”
Morning assembly is a vital part of your student’s day. Each morning assembly has a unique focus.
On Mondays, we take time to review our character quality of the month. The definition is reviewed and “I will” statements repeated as we think on ways to apply it at school, home, and our community.
Tuesday’s “Time to Think and Talk” assembly includes a time to think independently and then talk in groups. Groups of students from grades 2, 3, and 4 gather with our grade 4 crew leaders to share their thoughts and consider further ideas. Questions range from practical character application to considering how creatures in God’s creation exhibit the character quality of the month.
Wednesday’s assembly is a focus on the world! In English class, Grades 5 and 6 are studying differing cultures of the world as they continue to ask the question, “How can we welcome refugees to Charleston well?” Each Wednesday, a group of students from Grades 5-6 has the opportunity to lead the entire morning assembly, from the welcome to the final cheer! Students present on a different country each week, helping everyone at assembly gain a larger view on loving people from every tribe and tongue around the world.
Thursday morning is anticipated all week! The morning begins with the national anthem and pledge to the flag. Then come the “Shout-outs!” Our desire is to see students growing and learning as they become creative thinkers, confident communicators, and courageous leaders. We want to celebrate when we see them growing, even in little steps. Each week, teachers submit the names of students who they have seen taking steps towards growth in the past week and we “shout out” congratulations and cheer one another on.
Then Friday arrives – story time. Each Friday, we tell a story of a “Friday Failure.” But as the story unfolds, we discover that the individual was not a failure – they had the chance to give up but instead, they chose to “take a breath, put on a smile, and try try again” even when faced with difficult times. The students learn of many different people from many different nations from many different time periods. Some that they have met this year include: William Tyndale, Gabby Douglas, Amy Carmichael, Ben Carson, Elizabeth Greene, Martin Luther, Tim Tebow, Zhao Ya, and Billy Graham. Billy Graham started our special look at Black History month because of the example he set in loving and caring for people of all colors. This month, students will hear about Fredrick Douglass and Maya Angelou. In future months, we will tell stories of the Philip Simmons’ creativity and Major General Alfred K Flowers and Victoria Way DeLee’s courage. Donald Miller wrote in A Million Miles in a Thousand Years, “People can’t live without a story to be part of.” Friday Failures introduce your child to just a few of the many stories God has written over the years as they begin to see the story their lives may tell.
Morning assemblies start each day with purpose and focus and end with a cheer to dismiss students into another day of learning and growing. As we seek to see these CBA Mighty Oaks sink their roots deep into solid Truth, we look forward to seeing them become world changers, reaching out to love and serve others from every tribe, tongue, and nation.
