How to Plan an Anti-Bullying School Assembly: A Checklist

A good anti-bullying assembly is mostly decided before the speaker ever walks into the gym. The schools that get the most out of a visit make a handful of decisions early: who the assembly is for, what it should change, how the day will run, and what happens after the speaker leaves. This checklist walks through those decisions in the order most principals, counselors and PTA leaders actually make them.

1. Decide what you want to change

Start with the problem, not the program. Is it unkind comments in the hallway, group-chat drama, a few students who are isolated, or a class that criticizes each other more than it encourages? Write down one or two sentences that describe what you are seeing. A speaker can tailor examples and language to that, and it gives your staff a shared reason for the day.

2. Match the program to your grade levels

What lands with second graders will lose eighth graders, and the reverse. If you serve a wide range, ask whether the speaker can run separate sessions by grade band. Many schools book two back-to-back sessions, for example TK–2 and 3–5, or 6–8 and 9–12, so that language, length and interaction fit each group.

• Elementary: short segments, movement, music and simple language about kindness and including others.
• Middle school: identity, group pressure, online behavior and moving from bystander to upstander.
• High school: owning your story, leadership and how words shape a whole campus.

3. Pick a date that gives the message somewhere to go

An assembly works best as the start of something, not a one-time event. Common anchors are back-to-school weeks, kindness weeks, Red Ribbon Week, or the launch of a PBIS or SEL focus. Avoid testing windows and the last days before a break, when attention is low and there is no time for follow-up.

4. Plan the budget and how it will be funded

Ask for a clear quote that includes travel, so there are no surprises. Fees vary by speaker, number of sessions and distance. Schools commonly fund assemblies through the PTA or PTO, a site budget for school climate or character education, or by sharing travel costs with a nearby school that books the same week. Your district office can tell you which funding sources apply to your school; it is worth asking before you assume a program is out of reach.

5. Confirm the room and the sound

Most assemblies run in a gym, cafeteria or auditorium. Confirm early who will meet the speaker, whether the speaker can connect to your sound system, and how much setup time is needed. A quick sound check before students arrive prevents most problems. Share your bell schedule and the exact start and end times for each session.

• Room booked for setup time plus every session
• Someone from tech or custodial staff on hand at arrival
• Speaker's microphone connected to the house PA, or a wireless mic as backup
• Seating plan that keeps the youngest students closest
• Check-in instructions for the front office

6. Prepare staff and students

Teachers carry the message after the assembly, so give them a short heads-up: what the program covers, the key phrases students will hear, and one question they can ask in class the next day. If you have students who are already being targeted, let counselors know the topic in advance so they can check in afterward.

7. Plan the follow-up before the day

Decide now how you will keep the conversation going: a classroom discussion the next morning, a kindness challenge for the week, or a note home to families. Ask the speaker what follow-up materials they provide. Even a single shared phrase that staff repeat for a month can make an assembly stick.

Questions to ask any assembly speaker

• Which grade levels is the program designed for, and how is it adapted?
• How long is each session, and how many sessions can you do in one day?
• What do you need from us for the room and sound?
• What does the quote include, and how is travel handled?
• What follow-up do you offer for staff, students or families?

If you are planning an anti-bullying assembly and want to see whether Samuel Picou's Finding Your Purpose program fits your school, you can read the program details on the Finding Your Purpose page or send a quick inquiry with your dates and grade levels. You will get a personal reply with availability and next steps.