EUSTIS, Fla.—Eustis Elementary School Principal Reanna Boardway isn’t just running a school; she’s sprinkling magic along the way.
Since Monday, Boardway has been donning a red elf costume and a pointy hat, reminiscent of the ever-popular “Elf on the Shelf,” surprising her students with playful and sometimes mischievous antics, leaving them eagerly anticipating what she will do next.
She began the tradition last year, dressing up the last week of school before the December holiday break to help increase attendance, she told Inside Lake. It was so much fun and such a hit with the kids, she decided to do the entire month until the break.
“The month of December is a very hard month in education. We have Thanksgiving break, and we come back and then three weeks later we have Christmas break,” Boardway said. “We see a lot of attendance issues during the month of December, sometimes we see an increase in behavioral issues…so the whole point of this is just to really just give kids something to look forward to every day.”
A mom of one of Boardway’s first grade students reached out to Inside Lake earlier this week to spread the wonder from the school to the entire community.
“Her creativity, dedication, and commitment to making school joyful are making a real difference. She is turning what is typically a challenging month for attendance into a month filled with excitement, laughter, and connection. It’s a beautiful reminder that leadership with heart can change how children feel about learning,” Mom said.
The kids truly look forward to coming to school to see Boardway’s next move, “Our 6-year-old came home and said, “Mom, she is magic!” she told Inside Lake
Boardway wants school to be a place kids look forward to being at, and she said it’s great for the teachers too and reminds them to have a little bit of fun.
“It brings so much joy and watching their faces in the morning, when a teacher or staff member points out where I am and their whole face lights up —that’s what it’s about,” Boardway said. “We can have a little fun, spread a little joy and still get a lot of learning done.”
Boardway said EES is a loving school and they hug their kids. Some of the students were concerned if they hugged her, they would make her lose her magic, because if an “Elf on the Shelf” is touched by human hands, they lose their magic and ability to fly.
She told them, “No, I’m a different kind of elf, I’m on Santa’s leadership team, so we have special set of powers.”
This year Boardway decided to play elf beginning Dec. 1 and through the last day of school before the break – Dec. 19, which means she’s been dreaming up new surprises for her students. She’s been spotted on the school’s sign, in a tree, and even detained in the back of a police SUV when the school resource officer busted her for her “elfish ways and unauthorized shenanigans.” She welcomes ideas from our readers who want to join in the fun, she told Inside Lake. Drop a comment on our Facebook page if you have an idea for Elf Boardway.
