Starting the Day with Character: How Morning Assembly Brings P2 to Life

This partner school story was written by Amal Sidani, Director of Curriculum and Instruction at the Academy of St. Joseph in New York, NY. Drawing on her commitment to student-centered learning and character development, Amal shares how Morning Assembly brings The Positivity Project to life by helping students recognize their strengths, understand the impact of their actions, and build meaningful connections.

Our Head of School, Ms. Angela Coombs, once said, “If you could see just one thing that captures the spirit of the Academy of St. Joseph, it would be our Morning Assembly.” She’s right.

Morning Assembly reflects everything Ms. Coombs envisioned for our school: a community rooted in connection, reflection, and shared purpose. For nearly two decades, she has led with warmth, clarity, and conviction that education must nurture both intellect and character. Through her leadership, this daily ritual has become the heartbeat of our school—and a natural home for The Positivity Project (P2).

A Daily Reminder of Character

Twice a week, our entire community—students, teachers, staff, and often parents—gathers in the Assembly Hall. Students settle in, parents wave from the back, and the leaders for the day review their notes at the podium. Even on non-assembly days, the heart of that ritual continues through the PA system.

Each morning, a student leader shares slides they’ve prepared, including one from The Positivity Project—a daily reminder that our learning begins not only with academics but with character. This simple act of reflection has transformed our school culture. The P2 focus grounds us, giving students a shared language for kindness, perseverance, curiosity, and courage.

One Slide, Endless Possibilities

Each week’s slide introduces a new character strength. This week’s focus, for example, is Bravery:

Bravery means you act with strength and courage even when things are difficult or scary. Showing bravery doesn’t always take a dramatic act. Introducing yourself to someone new or telling a teacher you did something wrong are both brave acts.

As the student reads, the room grows still. Teachers and younger students listen as the reflection fills the space. It’s a brief moment—no more than a minute—but it sets the tone for the day. That moment embodies Ms. Coombs’ philosophy: that education is most powerful when it speaks to both heart and mind.

Students Leading the Way and Deepening the Reflection

Morning Assembly is intentionally student-led, another hallmark of Ms. Coombs’ leadership. Each morning, a different student steps forward to introduce the P2 strength and share the reflection.

In one assembly, a shy fifth grader volunteered to read about Bravery. Afterwards, classmates told them they had embodied the very strength they described. That connection—between word and action—builds confidence and community.

The daily slide is only the beginning. Once a week, our Upper School dedicates a 45-minute advisory period to explore the week’s P2 strength in depth. Students discuss real-life applications, reflect in journals, and connect the traits to literature, history, and current events.

In the Lower School, teachers bring the same themes to life during morning meetings—through read-alouds, collaborative games, and circle discussions. This rhythm—brief daily reflection paired with deeper weekly engagement—helps students internalize the strengths rather than simply memorize them.

Under Ms. Coombs’ leadership, this alignment of routines, language, and relationships has always been the goal: to ensure that P2 isn’t a program we use, but a culture we live.

When Words Become Habits

Over the years, the impact has been unmistakable. Students reference P2 vocabulary naturally, using it to navigate challenges and celebrate one another.

During a recent group project, a student said, “We showed perseverance because we kept trying after our first plan didn’t work.” Another comforted a peer by saying, “You showed bravery by telling the truth.” Moments like these reflect Ms. Coombs’ lasting influence—proof that her emphasis on character formation continues to shape how our students see themselves and others.

Morning Assembly lasts only fifteen minutes, but its influence carries through the day. It centers our community, strengthens empathy, and reminds us that how we treat others is as important as what we learn. It’s living proof that character education is not an add-on; it’s the foundation of everything we do.

At AoSJ, our mission rests on three words: Character, Competence, and Compassion. The Positivity Project helps us live that mission each morning, but it is Ms. Coombs’ steadfast leadership that brought it to life. She understands that education is about relationships—between teachers and students, between students and one another, and between learning and purpose. Her commitment to beginning each day with reflection has shaped a generation of learners who know that small acts of kindness, courage, and honesty matter deeply.

Morning Assembly might take only a few minutes, but those minutes hold something extraordinary: a shared moment of reflection that continues to shape who we are becoming—one strength, one slide, one day at a time.