Hello everyone,
It’s me, Boardington Bear, padding in with another cheerful update as December begins and the boarding house fills with sparkle and excitement. What a week it has been. My paws have hardly rested.
To start the month in true festive fashion, we launched the Boardington Bear Festive Bear Hunt. Each morning I sneak off to hide in a different location somewhere around the school, waiting for students to find me and report my whereabouts to the Boarding House. So far I have hidden in the library, quietly nestled between the books. I have lounged in the sixth form centre pretending to study very seriously. I have relaxed in the dining room where I kept a close eye on the desserts. And I have stationed myself proudly by the science corridor, keeping watch over the beakers and test tubes. Watching students search high and low has been enormously entertaining and I feel like a very mischievous seasonal mascot indeed.
In the spirit of excitement, we also experienced our overnight fire alarm practice. The alarm rang out in the middle of the night, echoing through the boarding house and sending everyone into swift action. Pajamas, slippers, blankets, yawns and determined quick walking filled the corridors as we gathered safely outside. I stayed calm of course. A brave bear must set a good example. Once everyone was accounted for and wide awake, there were a few sleepy giggles before we all returned inside to warm up. It may have been chilly, but it certainly reminded us how well our students respond when needed.
This week we also celebrated St Nicholas Day. Our junior boarders placed their shoes out the night before and woke up in the morning to find that St Nicholas had left them a little treat. The excited whispers and happy smiles at breakfast made the whole boarding house feel wonderfully festive. It was a magical moment to see their joy and curiosity, and I must admit, I checked my own paws just in case St Nicholas had left something for a bear too.
Our Year 11 students also had their important parents meeting this week. There was a steady stream of conversations about progress, goals and exciting plans for the future. I listened from my cosy spot, nodding thoughtfully like a very scholarly bear. The Year 11s handled the day with maturity and pride. They are growing up beautifully.
We finished the week in the most delicious way imaginable with our Boarders Christmas Dinner. Oh my fur, what a feast it was. We all sat together family style, long tables filled with chatter, laughter and the soft rustling of Christmas cracker hats. The room glowed with fairy lights and festive warmth. Our brilliant catering staff truly outdid themselves. They prepared the most spectacular turkey dinner, complete with golden roast potatoes, fluffy stuffing, rich gravy, vegetables cooked to perfection and all the trimmings a Christmas bear could dream of. The smell alone was enough to make my paws wiggle with joy. It felt like sharing Christmas around one big family table, and no bear could ask for more.
It has been a week full of festive fun, midnight excitement, important moments and a wonderful feast shared together. December has begun in the most magical way and this bear could not be happier.
Until the next adventure,
Paws on the ground, news all around
Boarding house 
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