How you introduce your school community to the new idea can make all the difference in how it is perceived and how effective it eventually becomes. This initial declaration can be tough to land, but when done right the announcement itself can have a big impact on school culture.
Few programs are more suited to creating these kinds of event quite like a House System. A House System is a great way to create a sense of community within your school and announcing your house selections can be the catalyst you need to ensure a great program launch and a head start on building the school culture your staff and students deserve.
That’s why you can’t miss out on the opportunity to get your students and staff to buy into the House System.
Announcing Houses sets the tone for the rest of the year and builds house spirit! Whether you’re starting a brand new House System or you are wanting a fun way to share the House assignments for your new students, we have a range of ideas that can fit your school no matter what resources you have at your disposal.
Popping balloons would work great with younger students! Place a small piece of paper with the house name on it inside the balloon. Blow the balloon up. Write the child’s name on the balloon with a marker. Have students sit on their balloons to pop them and reveal their house.
Hand out cards to students at Open House night or during a House Assembly. Students will reveal their house assignment by scratching off the sticker. Then, you can give them some house swag or immediately have a House meeting with agenda items like create a House chant and get-to-know-you activities. Either have the cards printed or create your own using these stickers on Amazon!
Students can slide one by one down a covered slide on the school’s playground. At the bottom of the slide, a staff member or older student within the house can be there to greet them with a house sign that has the student's name or present them with house “swag”. If you already have an established House system, the older student can meet with the new student for some time to get to know them and make them feel welcomed.
Match Day originates from Med School Students getting matched to a hospital for their residency. A Match Day event can be held in an auditorium or classroom. Students are given an envelope with the house they are in. Then, the students will walk onto the stage, open the envelope for the first time, and announce the house they were matched with.
For this idea, houses would need to have house wristbands already. As a surprise, staff members can place the house bracelets in students’ lockers after school hours. Then, when students come to campus the next day, staff members can count down over the intercom for students to open their lockers and find out their house.
Create a scavenger hunt for students to complete to find out the house they are placed in. We typically see this used in schools with already established House Systems. The scavenger hunt can begin in one area and lead new students to a designated house area (cafeteria, gym, classroom, auditorium, etc.) where older housemates are there to welcome new students to the house. Older housemates can decorate these areas in house colors and bring them in with house cheers and chants.
Where are all my Harry Potter fans? 🪄
You can purchase the Harry Potter sorting hat on Amazon. One idea is to put small papers with house names inside the hat, and students pick a paper out. Another idea is to have a staff member act as the voice of the sorting hat and “place” the students as the hat is put on their heads.
Typically used in schools that already have a House System established, The Draft could be a formal annual event with round tables, decor, and semi-formal attire. Parents and guardians can attend the Draft party sitting with their new students. House leaders (staff or student council leaders) could walk to the stage to announce a student that has been “drafted” into the house. Students can come onto the stage and receive a hat or piece of house swag put on by the house leader and take pictures.
Yes! Just like that big wheel at the carnival that we hoped would land on the grand prize, you can announce houses by having students spin a wheel with house names on different sections. Ron Clark Academy calls this “The Big Spin” at their school.
I hope at least one idea from the list above can be useful for your school. Remember that all these can be tweaked to fit your students and facilities!
For any schools that have done something special for house announcements in the past, we hope that you can share the wealth with our LiveSchool Community and send any videos or images, whether it is from one of our announcement ideas above or House name ideas your school came up with!
Want to supercharge your school culture? Check out our guide to developing House spirit within your House system.
How you introduce your school community to the new idea can make all the difference in how it is perceived and how effective it eventually becomes. This initial declaration can be tough to land, but when done right the announcement itself can have a big impact on school culture.
Few programs are more suited to creating these kinds of event quite like a House System. A House System is a great way to create a sense of community within your school and announcing your house selections can be the catalyst you need to ensure a great program launch and a head start on building the school culture your staff and students deserve.
That’s why you can’t miss out on the opportunity to get your students and staff to buy into the House System.
Announcing Houses sets the tone for the rest of the year and builds house spirit! Whether you’re starting a brand new House System or you are wanting a fun way to share the House assignments for your new students, we have a range of ideas that can fit your school no matter what resources you have at your disposal.
Popping balloons would work great with younger students! Place a small piece of paper with the house name on it inside the balloon. Blow the balloon up. Write the child’s name on the balloon with a marker. Have students sit on their balloons to pop them and reveal their house.
Hand out cards to students at Open House night or during a House Assembly. Students will reveal their house assignment by scratching off the sticker. Then, you can give them some house swag or immediately have a House meeting with agenda items like create a House chant and get-to-know-you activities. Either have the cards printed or create your own using these stickers on Amazon!
Students can slide one by one down a covered slide on the school’s playground. At the bottom of the slide, a staff member or older student within the house can be there to greet them with a house sign that has the student's name or present them with house “swag”. If you already have an established House system, the older student can meet with the new student for some time to get to know them and make them feel welcomed.
Match Day originates from Med School Students getting matched to a hospital for their residency. A Match Day event can be held in an auditorium or classroom. Students are given an envelope with the house they are in. Then, the students will walk onto the stage, open the envelope for the first time, and announce the house they were matched with.
For this idea, houses would need to have house wristbands already. As a surprise, staff members can place the house bracelets in students’ lockers after school hours. Then, when students come to campus the next day, staff members can count down over the intercom for students to open their lockers and find out their house.
Create a scavenger hunt for students to complete to find out the house they are placed in. We typically see this used in schools with already established House Systems. The scavenger hunt can begin in one area and lead new students to a designated house area (cafeteria, gym, classroom, auditorium, etc.) where older housemates are there to welcome new students to the house. Older housemates can decorate these areas in house colors and bring them in with house cheers and chants.
Where are all my Harry Potter fans? 🪄
You can purchase the Harry Potter sorting hat on Amazon. One idea is to put small papers with house names inside the hat, and students pick a paper out. Another idea is to have a staff member act as the voice of the sorting hat and “place” the students as the hat is put on their heads.
Typically used in schools that already have a House System established, The Draft could be a formal annual event with round tables, decor, and semi-formal attire. Parents and guardians can attend the Draft party sitting with their new students. House leaders (staff or student council leaders) could walk to the stage to announce a student that has been “drafted” into the house. Students can come onto the stage and receive a hat or piece of house swag put on by the house leader and take pictures.
Yes! Just like that big wheel at the carnival that we hoped would land on the grand prize, you can announce houses by having students spin a wheel with house names on different sections. Ron Clark Academy calls this “The Big Spin” at their school.
I hope at least one idea from the list above can be useful for your school. Remember that all these can be tweaked to fit your students and facilities!
For any schools that have done something special for house announcements in the past, we hope that you can share the wealth with our LiveSchool Community and send any videos or images, whether it is from one of our announcement ideas above or House name ideas your school came up with!
Want to supercharge your school culture? Check out our guide to developing House spirit within your House system.
How you introduce your school community to the new idea can make all the difference in how it is perceived and how effective it eventually becomes. This initial declaration can be tough to land, but when done right the announcement itself can have a big impact on school culture.
Few programs are more suited to creating these kinds of event quite like a House System. A House System is a great way to create a sense of community within your school and announcing your house selections can be the catalyst you need to ensure a great program launch and a head start on building the school culture your staff and students deserve.
That’s why you can’t miss out on the opportunity to get your students and staff to buy into the House System.
Announcing Houses sets the tone for the rest of the year and builds house spirit! Whether you’re starting a brand new House System or you are wanting a fun way to share the House assignments for your new students, we have a range of ideas that can fit your school no matter what resources you have at your disposal.
Popping balloons would work great with younger students! Place a small piece of paper with the house name on it inside the balloon. Blow the balloon up. Write the child’s name on the balloon with a marker. Have students sit on their balloons to pop them and reveal their house.
Hand out cards to students at Open House night or during a House Assembly. Students will reveal their house assignment by scratching off the sticker. Then, you can give them some house swag or immediately have a House meeting with agenda items like create a House chant and get-to-know-you activities. Either have the cards printed or create your own using these stickers on Amazon!
Students can slide one by one down a covered slide on the school’s playground. At the bottom of the slide, a staff member or older student within the house can be there to greet them with a house sign that has the student's name or present them with house “swag”. If you already have an established House system, the older student can meet with the new student for some time to get to know them and make them feel welcomed.
Match Day originates from Med School Students getting matched to a hospital for their residency. A Match Day event can be held in an auditorium or classroom. Students are given an envelope with the house they are in. Then, the students will walk onto the stage, open the envelope for the first time, and announce the house they were matched with.
For this idea, houses would need to have house wristbands already. As a surprise, staff members can place the house bracelets in students’ lockers after school hours. Then, when students come to campus the next day, staff members can count down over the intercom for students to open their lockers and find out their house.
Create a scavenger hunt for students to complete to find out the house they are placed in. We typically see this used in schools with already established House Systems. The scavenger hunt can begin in one area and lead new students to a designated house area (cafeteria, gym, classroom, auditorium, etc.) where older housemates are there to welcome new students to the house. Older housemates can decorate these areas in house colors and bring them in with house cheers and chants.
Where are all my Harry Potter fans? 🪄
You can purchase the Harry Potter sorting hat on Amazon. One idea is to put small papers with house names inside the hat, and students pick a paper out. Another idea is to have a staff member act as the voice of the sorting hat and “place” the students as the hat is put on their heads.
Typically used in schools that already have a House System established, The Draft could be a formal annual event with round tables, decor, and semi-formal attire. Parents and guardians can attend the Draft party sitting with their new students. House leaders (staff or student council leaders) could walk to the stage to announce a student that has been “drafted” into the house. Students can come onto the stage and receive a hat or piece of house swag put on by the house leader and take pictures.
Yes! Just like that big wheel at the carnival that we hoped would land on the grand prize, you can announce houses by having students spin a wheel with house names on different sections. Ron Clark Academy calls this “The Big Spin” at their school.
I hope at least one idea from the list above can be useful for your school. Remember that all these can be tweaked to fit your students and facilities!
For any schools that have done something special for house announcements in the past, we hope that you can share the wealth with our LiveSchool Community and send any videos or images, whether it is from one of our announcement ideas above or House name ideas your school came up with!
Want to supercharge your school culture? Check out our guide to developing House spirit within your House system.
How you introduce your school community to the new idea can make all the difference in how it is perceived and how effective it eventually becomes. This initial declaration can be tough to land, but when done right the announcement itself can have a big impact on school culture.
Few programs are more suited to creating these kinds of event quite like a House System. A House System is a great way to create a sense of community within your school and announcing your house selections can be the catalyst you need to ensure a great program launch and a head start on building the school culture your staff and students deserve.
That’s why you can’t miss out on the opportunity to get your students and staff to buy into the House System.
Announcing Houses sets the tone for the rest of the year and builds house spirit! Whether you’re starting a brand new House System or you are wanting a fun way to share the House assignments for your new students, we have a range of ideas that can fit your school no matter what resources you have at your disposal.
Popping balloons would work great with younger students! Place a small piece of paper with the house name on it inside the balloon. Blow the balloon up. Write the child’s name on the balloon with a marker. Have students sit on their balloons to pop them and reveal their house.
Hand out cards to students at Open House night or during a House Assembly. Students will reveal their house assignment by scratching off the sticker. Then, you can give them some house swag or immediately have a House meeting with agenda items like create a House chant and get-to-know-you activities. Either have the cards printed or create your own using these stickers on Amazon!
Students can slide one by one down a covered slide on the school’s playground. At the bottom of the slide, a staff member or older student within the house can be there to greet them with a house sign that has the student's name or present them with house “swag”. If you already have an established House system, the older student can meet with the new student for some time to get to know them and make them feel welcomed.
Match Day originates from Med School Students getting matched to a hospital for their residency. A Match Day event can be held in an auditorium or classroom. Students are given an envelope with the house they are in. Then, the students will walk onto the stage, open the envelope for the first time, and announce the house they were matched with.
For this idea, houses would need to have house wristbands already. As a surprise, staff members can place the house bracelets in students’ lockers after school hours. Then, when students come to campus the next day, staff members can count down over the intercom for students to open their lockers and find out their house.
Create a scavenger hunt for students to complete to find out the house they are placed in. We typically see this used in schools with already established House Systems. The scavenger hunt can begin in one area and lead new students to a designated house area (cafeteria, gym, classroom, auditorium, etc.) where older housemates are there to welcome new students to the house. Older housemates can decorate these areas in house colors and bring them in with house cheers and chants.
Where are all my Harry Potter fans? 🪄
You can purchase the Harry Potter sorting hat on Amazon. One idea is to put small papers with house names inside the hat, and students pick a paper out. Another idea is to have a staff member act as the voice of the sorting hat and “place” the students as the hat is put on their heads.
Typically used in schools that already have a House System established, The Draft could be a formal annual event with round tables, decor, and semi-formal attire. Parents and guardians can attend the Draft party sitting with their new students. House leaders (staff or student council leaders) could walk to the stage to announce a student that has been “drafted” into the house. Students can come onto the stage and receive a hat or piece of house swag put on by the house leader and take pictures.
Yes! Just like that big wheel at the carnival that we hoped would land on the grand prize, you can announce houses by having students spin a wheel with house names on different sections. Ron Clark Academy calls this “The Big Spin” at their school.
I hope at least one idea from the list above can be useful for your school. Remember that all these can be tweaked to fit your students and facilities!
For any schools that have done something special for house announcements in the past, we hope that you can share the wealth with our LiveSchool Community and send any videos or images, whether it is from one of our announcement ideas above or House name ideas your school came up with!
Want to supercharge your school culture? Check out our guide to developing House spirit within your House system.
How you introduce your school community to the new idea can make all the difference in how it is perceived and how effective it eventually becomes. This initial declaration can be tough to land, but when done right the announcement itself can have a big impact on school culture.
Few programs are more suited to creating these kinds of event quite like a House System. A House System is a great way to create a sense of community within your school and announcing your house selections can be the catalyst you need to ensure a great program launch and a head start on building the school culture your staff and students deserve.
That’s why you can’t miss out on the opportunity to get your students and staff to buy into the House System.
Announcing Houses sets the tone for the rest of the year and builds house spirit! Whether you’re starting a brand new House System or you are wanting a fun way to share the House assignments for your new students, we have a range of ideas that can fit your school no matter what resources you have at your disposal.
Popping balloons would work great with younger students! Place a small piece of paper with the house name on it inside the balloon. Blow the balloon up. Write the child’s name on the balloon with a marker. Have students sit on their balloons to pop them and reveal their house.
Hand out cards to students at Open House night or during a House Assembly. Students will reveal their house assignment by scratching off the sticker. Then, you can give them some house swag or immediately have a House meeting with agenda items like create a House chant and get-to-know-you activities. Either have the cards printed or create your own using these stickers on Amazon!
Students can slide one by one down a covered slide on the school’s playground. At the bottom of the slide, a staff member or older student within the house can be there to greet them with a house sign that has the student's name or present them with house “swag”. If you already have an established House system, the older student can meet with the new student for some time to get to know them and make them feel welcomed.
Match Day originates from Med School Students getting matched to a hospital for their residency. A Match Day event can be held in an auditorium or classroom. Students are given an envelope with the house they are in. Then, the students will walk onto the stage, open the envelope for the first time, and announce the house they were matched with.
For this idea, houses would need to have house wristbands already. As a surprise, staff members can place the house bracelets in students’ lockers after school hours. Then, when students come to campus the next day, staff members can count down over the intercom for students to open their lockers and find out their house.
Create a scavenger hunt for students to complete to find out the house they are placed in. We typically see this used in schools with already established House Systems. The scavenger hunt can begin in one area and lead new students to a designated house area (cafeteria, gym, classroom, auditorium, etc.) where older housemates are there to welcome new students to the house. Older housemates can decorate these areas in house colors and bring them in with house cheers and chants.
Where are all my Harry Potter fans? 🪄
You can purchase the Harry Potter sorting hat on Amazon. One idea is to put small papers with house names inside the hat, and students pick a paper out. Another idea is to have a staff member act as the voice of the sorting hat and “place” the students as the hat is put on their heads.
Typically used in schools that already have a House System established, The Draft could be a formal annual event with round tables, decor, and semi-formal attire. Parents and guardians can attend the Draft party sitting with their new students. House leaders (staff or student council leaders) could walk to the stage to announce a student that has been “drafted” into the house. Students can come onto the stage and receive a hat or piece of house swag put on by the house leader and take pictures.
Yes! Just like that big wheel at the carnival that we hoped would land on the grand prize, you can announce houses by having students spin a wheel with house names on different sections. Ron Clark Academy calls this “The Big Spin” at their school.
I hope at least one idea from the list above can be useful for your school. Remember that all these can be tweaked to fit your students and facilities!
For any schools that have done something special for house announcements in the past, we hope that you can share the wealth with our LiveSchool Community and send any videos or images, whether it is from one of our announcement ideas above or House name ideas your school came up with!
Want to supercharge your school culture? Check out our guide to developing House spirit within your House system.
How you introduce your school community to the new idea can make all the difference in how it is perceived and how effective it eventually becomes. This initial declaration can be tough to land, but when done right the announcement itself can have a big impact on school culture.
Few programs are more suited to creating these kinds of event quite like a House System. A House System is a great way to create a sense of community within your school and announcing your house selections can be the catalyst you need to ensure a great program launch and a head start on building the school culture your staff and students deserve.
That’s why you can’t miss out on the opportunity to get your students and staff to buy into the House System.
Announcing Houses sets the tone for the rest of the year and builds house spirit! Whether you’re starting a brand new House System or you are wanting a fun way to share the House assignments for your new students, we have a range of ideas that can fit your school no matter what resources you have at your disposal.
Popping balloons would work great with younger students! Place a small piece of paper with the house name on it inside the balloon. Blow the balloon up. Write the child’s name on the balloon with a marker. Have students sit on their balloons to pop them and reveal their house.
Hand out cards to students at Open House night or during a House Assembly. Students will reveal their house assignment by scratching off the sticker. Then, you can give them some house swag or immediately have a House meeting with agenda items like create a House chant and get-to-know-you activities. Either have the cards printed or create your own using these stickers on Amazon!
Students can slide one by one down a covered slide on the school’s playground. At the bottom of the slide, a staff member or older student within the house can be there to greet them with a house sign that has the student's name or present them with house “swag”. If you already have an established House system, the older student can meet with the new student for some time to get to know them and make them feel welcomed.
Match Day originates from Med School Students getting matched to a hospital for their residency. A Match Day event can be held in an auditorium or classroom. Students are given an envelope with the house they are in. Then, the students will walk onto the stage, open the envelope for the first time, and announce the house they were matched with.
For this idea, houses would need to have house wristbands already. As a surprise, staff members can place the house bracelets in students’ lockers after school hours. Then, when students come to campus the next day, staff members can count down over the intercom for students to open their lockers and find out their house.
Create a scavenger hunt for students to complete to find out the house they are placed in. We typically see this used in schools with already established House Systems. The scavenger hunt can begin in one area and lead new students to a designated house area (cafeteria, gym, classroom, auditorium, etc.) where older housemates are there to welcome new students to the house. Older housemates can decorate these areas in house colors and bring them in with house cheers and chants.
Where are all my Harry Potter fans? 🪄
You can purchase the Harry Potter sorting hat on Amazon. One idea is to put small papers with house names inside the hat, and students pick a paper out. Another idea is to have a staff member act as the voice of the sorting hat and “place” the students as the hat is put on their heads.
Typically used in schools that already have a House System established, The Draft could be a formal annual event with round tables, decor, and semi-formal attire. Parents and guardians can attend the Draft party sitting with their new students. House leaders (staff or student council leaders) could walk to the stage to announce a student that has been “drafted” into the house. Students can come onto the stage and receive a hat or piece of house swag put on by the house leader and take pictures.
Yes! Just like that big wheel at the carnival that we hoped would land on the grand prize, you can announce houses by having students spin a wheel with house names on different sections. Ron Clark Academy calls this “The Big Spin” at their school.
I hope at least one idea from the list above can be useful for your school. Remember that all these can be tweaked to fit your students and facilities!
For any schools that have done something special for house announcements in the past, we hope that you can share the wealth with our LiveSchool Community and send any videos or images, whether it is from one of our announcement ideas above or House name ideas your school came up with!
Want to supercharge your school culture? Check out our guide to developing House spirit within your House system.
Allison resides in Miami, Florida. She taught at the middle school and high school levels for seven years. As the Social Media and Activities Director, she works with students to create events that motivate them in the school setting.
When it comes to new programs in schools the key to a successful rollout often comes down to first impressions.
How you introduce your school community to the new idea can make all the difference in how it is perceived and how effective it eventually becomes. This initial declaration can be tough to land, but when done right the announcement itself can have a big impact on school culture.
Few programs are more suited to creating these kinds of event quite like a House System. A House System is a great way to create a sense of community within your school and announcing your house selections can be the catalyst you need to ensure a great program launch and a head start on building the school culture your staff and students deserve.
That’s why you can’t miss out on the opportunity to get your students and staff to buy into the House System.
Announcing Houses sets the tone for the rest of the year and builds house spirit! Whether you’re starting a brand new House System or you are wanting a fun way to share the House assignments for your new students, we have a range of ideas that can fit your school no matter what resources you have at your disposal.
Popping balloons would work great with younger students! Place a small piece of paper with the house name on it inside the balloon. Blow the balloon up. Write the child’s name on the balloon with a marker. Have students sit on their balloons to pop them and reveal their house.
Hand out cards to students at Open House night or during a House Assembly. Students will reveal their house assignment by scratching off the sticker. Then, you can give them some house swag or immediately have a House meeting with agenda items like create a House chant and get-to-know-you activities. Either have the cards printed or create your own using these stickers on Amazon!
Students can slide one by one down a covered slide on the school’s playground. At the bottom of the slide, a staff member or older student within the house can be there to greet them with a house sign that has the student's name or present them with house “swag”. If you already have an established House system, the older student can meet with the new student for some time to get to know them and make them feel welcomed.
Match Day originates from Med School Students getting matched to a hospital for their residency. A Match Day event can be held in an auditorium or classroom. Students are given an envelope with the house they are in. Then, the students will walk onto the stage, open the envelope for the first time, and announce the house they were matched with.
For this idea, houses would need to have house wristbands already. As a surprise, staff members can place the house bracelets in students’ lockers after school hours. Then, when students come to campus the next day, staff members can count down over the intercom for students to open their lockers and find out their house.
Create a scavenger hunt for students to complete to find out the house they are placed in. We typically see this used in schools with already established House Systems. The scavenger hunt can begin in one area and lead new students to a designated house area (cafeteria, gym, classroom, auditorium, etc.) where older housemates are there to welcome new students to the house. Older housemates can decorate these areas in house colors and bring them in with house cheers and chants.
Where are all my Harry Potter fans? 🪄
You can purchase the Harry Potter sorting hat on Amazon. One idea is to put small papers with house names inside the hat, and students pick a paper out. Another idea is to have a staff member act as the voice of the sorting hat and “place” the students as the hat is put on their heads.
Typically used in schools that already have a House System established, The Draft could be a formal annual event with round tables, decor, and semi-formal attire. Parents and guardians can attend the Draft party sitting with their new students. House leaders (staff or student council leaders) could walk to the stage to announce a student that has been “drafted” into the house. Students can come onto the stage and receive a hat or piece of house swag put on by the house leader and take pictures.
Yes! Just like that big wheel at the carnival that we hoped would land on the grand prize, you can announce houses by having students spin a wheel with house names on different sections. Ron Clark Academy calls this “The Big Spin” at their school.
I hope at least one idea from the list above can be useful for your school. Remember that all these can be tweaked to fit your students and facilities!
For any schools that have done something special for house announcements in the past, we hope that you can share the wealth with our LiveSchool Community and send any videos or images, whether it is from one of our announcement ideas above or House name ideas your school came up with!
Want to supercharge your school culture? Check out our guide to developing House spirit within your House system.
When it comes to new programs in schools the key to a successful rollout often comes down to first impressions.
How you introduce your school community to the new idea can make all the difference in how it is perceived and how effective it eventually becomes. This initial declaration can be tough to land, but when done right the announcement itself can have a big impact on school culture.
Few programs are more suited to creating these kinds of event quite like a House System. A House System is a great way to create a sense of community within your school and announcing your house selections can be the catalyst you need to ensure a great program launch and a head start on building the school culture your staff and students deserve.
That’s why you can’t miss out on the opportunity to get your students and staff to buy into the House System.
Announcing Houses sets the tone for the rest of the year and builds house spirit! Whether you’re starting a brand new House System or you are wanting a fun way to share the House assignments for your new students, we have a range of ideas that can fit your school no matter what resources you have at your disposal.
Popping balloons would work great with younger students! Place a small piece of paper with the house name on it inside the balloon. Blow the balloon up. Write the child’s name on the balloon with a marker. Have students sit on their balloons to pop them and reveal their house.
Hand out cards to students at Open House night or during a House Assembly. Students will reveal their house assignment by scratching off the sticker. Then, you can give them some house swag or immediately have a House meeting with agenda items like create a House chant and get-to-know-you activities. Either have the cards printed or create your own using these stickers on Amazon!
Students can slide one by one down a covered slide on the school’s playground. At the bottom of the slide, a staff member or older student within the house can be there to greet them with a house sign that has the student's name or present them with house “swag”. If you already have an established House system, the older student can meet with the new student for some time to get to know them and make them feel welcomed.
Match Day originates from Med School Students getting matched to a hospital for their residency. A Match Day event can be held in an auditorium or classroom. Students are given an envelope with the house they are in. Then, the students will walk onto the stage, open the envelope for the first time, and announce the house they were matched with.
For this idea, houses would need to have house wristbands already. As a surprise, staff members can place the house bracelets in students’ lockers after school hours. Then, when students come to campus the next day, staff members can count down over the intercom for students to open their lockers and find out their house.
Create a scavenger hunt for students to complete to find out the house they are placed in. We typically see this used in schools with already established House Systems. The scavenger hunt can begin in one area and lead new students to a designated house area (cafeteria, gym, classroom, auditorium, etc.) where older housemates are there to welcome new students to the house. Older housemates can decorate these areas in house colors and bring them in with house cheers and chants.
Where are all my Harry Potter fans? 🪄
You can purchase the Harry Potter sorting hat on Amazon. One idea is to put small papers with house names inside the hat, and students pick a paper out. Another idea is to have a staff member act as the voice of the sorting hat and “place” the students as the hat is put on their heads.
Typically used in schools that already have a House System established, The Draft could be a formal annual event with round tables, decor, and semi-formal attire. Parents and guardians can attend the Draft party sitting with their new students. House leaders (staff or student council leaders) could walk to the stage to announce a student that has been “drafted” into the house. Students can come onto the stage and receive a hat or piece of house swag put on by the house leader and take pictures.
Yes! Just like that big wheel at the carnival that we hoped would land on the grand prize, you can announce houses by having students spin a wheel with house names on different sections. Ron Clark Academy calls this “The Big Spin” at their school.
I hope at least one idea from the list above can be useful for your school. Remember that all these can be tweaked to fit your students and facilities!
For any schools that have done something special for house announcements in the past, we hope that you can share the wealth with our LiveSchool Community and send any videos or images, whether it is from one of our announcement ideas above or House name ideas your school came up with!
Want to supercharge your school culture? Check out our guide to developing House spirit within your House system.
