Boarding 

Wow! What a start to the term. This week has marked not only the start of remote learning for our students, but, for our boarders it marks the start of a new program Connected at College. This program has been set up and designed by the staff and boarding captains to continue the College connectedness already established in the boarding house this year.

Our boarding community is one that is very close and welcoming. During the period of COVID-19 we have organised weekly House meetings with our boarding captains, themes weeks focused upon College values, and most of all continuing our support to all boarders so they feel connected and supported. A large part of this support is the weekly video blogs that are posted from Lizzie Duver, Ben McCure, Nick Palmer and Gabbi Bensch. These weekly video blogs focus upon collective themes and challenges our boarders to be involved. Already we have started a cooking challenge and promoting the Be Kind message amongst our boarding community.

I would like to also acknowledge the wonderful work behind the scenes from our families. As a boarding community we understand the challenges you will be facing in engaging your son or daughter in remote learning. My advice is to take it one day at a time, place a level of responsibility upon the shoulders of our adolescents, and acknowledge the small wins we all make along the way. Everybody needs their space sometimes and communicating this will be an important step in the days of remote learning.

Care-packs delivered

During the Easter break our wonderful team of Nick Palmer, Gabbi Bensch, Liz Anagnostou and Lise Lowe all chipped in together and created a care pack to be sent out to our boarders. This care pack was focused upon supporting the social and emotional wellbeing of our boarders, whilst also explicitly letting them know that we are here thinking of them and waiting for their return. I am sure our boarders are going to be keeping an eye out for their post this week and will enjoy the small, but, important gifts they receive.

Our care pack included the following short explanation of each item:

A rubber band for when you feel stretched

A clothes peg to encourage you to hang in there

A paperclip to hold it all together

A lollypop when life doesn’t seem so sweet

A star because you are a STAR

Tea, because a cuppa solves everything

A soldier to help you soldier on

Andrew Monk