Home of the Tigers

Stonehill Boarding Newsletter

Volume 1, Issue 1, February 2022

A warm welcome to our first boarding newsletter!

Stonehill International School, one of the top IB schools in India, located in North Bangalore, is a place where students grow and thrive. Our boarding philosophy is aligned with the IB's mission of developing inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world. Stonehill boarding offers diverse activities ranging from service projects, outdoor education, sports, music and the arts.

Our dedicated boarding staff help students take control of their learning and develop skills that can be used in and out of the classroom. Regular activities are planned throughout the year and children are encouraged to ask questions and find answers through research. This cultivates a lifelong desire to learn.

Our boarders have been forming new friendships with students from all over the world. Our committed boarding staff have been working on building a sense of ‘home away from home’ for our boarders and it’s lovely to see their big smiles through their journey at Stonehill boarding.

Glen Johnson

Head of Boarding

What’s been happening at Stonehill Boarding?

Out on a hike!

On the 13th of November, the senior boys along with Mr. Glen, Ms. Glenda and Mr. Arjun went on a 5 km hike around Tarahunise Lake, near the school.

We set off from school right after breakfast at around 10 am. We took the mud road opposite the Embassy International Riding School (EIRS) and saw the horses galloping on the grounds. We then turned into a small forest with tall trees and small shrubs. We hiked through the forest before emerging alongside the lake. Here we were greeted by a herd of cattle out on their morning graze by the lake.

We then had to hike through a bit of slush to get to the periphery of the lake. We stopped to view the different types of birds in and around the lake.

The view was incredible and it was great to see the lake in all its glory.

After hiking around the lake for about 45 minutes we saw a small temple. Couple of minutes away from the temple, we found a beautiful farm that was growing flowers. The flower field was a great spot to take some photos.

After our wonderful hike around the lake, Mr. Arjun organized a tour around Embassy International Riding School (EIRS) for us.

EIRS is located adjacent to our school and is home to 130 horses, including champion race horses, show jumpers, as well as ponies.

The sound of the horses was a big change from the birds we heard earlier. Being up close with the horses was a wonderful experience!

We took a tour of the stables and the caretaker allowed us to pet some of the horses. Most horses (some of whom had very peculiar names) were very friendly, and the not so friendly ones had a notice outside. One of the horses liked biting things so much that he even bit the notice board outside! We then visited the beautiful show horses and the ponies. The short and comic structure of the ponies was sheer entertainment! We then made our way back to boarding after the most wonderful hike!

Dhruv, D1 and Anshul, D1 (Grade 11)

Boarder Speak

Adnan, D1 (Grade 11)

When did you join Stonehill boarding?

I joined Stonehill in 2021. Before Stonehill, I had never been to a boarding school. I was at my previous school for over thirteen years. It was a big change for me to move from a small city like Rajkot to the IT capital of India - Bangalore.

Did you feel homesick initially and how did you overcome it?

The first day I was really excited and hoped to make new friends, be independent, learn new skills, etc. but that didn't last for a long time. For a long time, I used to miss home and the food. Everything for me had changed. I tried socialising with people in order to not feel homesick. Another thing that worked for me was keeping myself extremely busy with tight schedules and work. I am a person who doesn’t work a lot and likes to procrastinate but here I just worked.

What do you like best about boarding?

The thing that I like about boarding is that everyone is friendly and social. The laughter from the jokes fills the emptiness and the love each and everyone shares makes it really easy to blend in. I love how the house parents are like your real parents and they are always ready to talk and help you out. Also, the great thing about boarding is that it's a small community with diversity and everybody lives together as a close family.

Do you see a change in yourself after becoming a boarder?

Yes, I do see changes in me, like I said I have become more hard working and do not procrastinate as much as I used to earlier. I submit work before the deadlines, thanks to the study breaks. I have also become more independent and learnt new skills such as doing the laundry.

Interviewed by Eshaan, D1 (Grade 11)

Phurpa, M2 (Grade 7)

When did you join Stonehill boarding?

I joined boarding in 2020, while online classes were going on. On the 17th of September, 2021, I got to physically be at boarding, when things started going back to normal.

Did you feel homesick initially and how did you overcome it?

Yes, I felt homesick the first few days that I arrived but soon after I felt more comfortable. I got time to play basketball and football and socialise which helped me become more comfortable with the people around me and my surroundings.

What do you like best about boarding?

I like the fact that everyone includes you and people are very friendly. When I first came to the boarding, one of the seniors asked all the new kids to play football which I felt was nice because it made me feel more included and happy. Also, people are very friendly in every way.

Do you see a change in yourself after becoming a boarder?

Yes, I have become more social. During the lockdown I didn't get to meet many people but when I arrived at the boarding everyone was talking to me which helped me become more social. Also, I have become more active as we got a chance to play sports and interact with one another.

Interviewed by Chimme, D1 & Adnan, D1 (Grade 11)

Meet the Parents

Meet the Boarding Staff

Aarya, D1 and Chimme, D1 interview cafeteria staff, Durga Prasad. He has been working at Stonehill for the past 11 years.

Aarya: Durga from the cafeteria joins us for a chit chat.

Could you please tell us a little bit about yourself?

Durga: My name is Durga Prasad and I am from Nepal. I have been working at Stonehill International School for eleven years.

Aarya: What is it that you like about Stonehill?

Durga: I like interacting with students and serving hungry children good food! It's a good job. I enjoy it very much.

Chimme: What do you like about Bangalore?

Durga: I love the climate in Bangalore. When I first arrived in Bangalore in 2001, I realised how pleasant the weather was as in the North the conditions are very extreme; the winters are freezing and summers are scorching hot.

Aarya: Thank you Durga for answering a few of our questions. Is there something you would like to say to conclude the interview?

Durga: Thank you. I really enjoyed this interview. I don't really know what else to say but I can tell you tonight's dinner is biryani!

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