Sue Newns
Originally from Manchester, England, Sue Newns completed her teacher training in Durban, South Africa, and went on to teach art and art history at a large public school in that city. Sue came to Shawnigan in 1990 to begin an eleven-year stint as School and then Groves’ House Director, and to teach in the English, Socials and Art departments. After stepping out of the House Director role, Sue joined Beth Hall’s team to do duty in School and then Strathcona School House. Sue’s two children - Sarah (’93) and Michael (’96) -both graduated from Shawnigan. Sarah has followed a career in the arts while Michael has a career in research and development technology.
Her children’s artistic and creative proclivity is not surprising given Sue’s talent for the visual and performing arts. Sue has taught drawing, painting, and sculpting at Shawnigan as well as set construction and design and AP Art History. She has also directed several Shawnigan musical productions, among them, Fiddler on the Roof, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat, West Side Story, and her all-time favourite, Les Miserables.
It isn’t just in the arts that Sue uses her creative talents. Currently teaching Social Studies and Comparative Civilizations 12 in the academic realm at the School, she is known as a marvellous teacher. One colleague who spent time in Sue’s classroom said, “In the face of Sue’s energy, passion, and knowledge, it is difficult for students to remain indifferent to learning.”
Sue’s modest and unassuming manner underscores everything she takes on. Sometimes it is hard for us to believe that she can accomplish all that she does at the School because of the quiet way in which she goes about it. Sue took over the reigns of International Week from Liz Leary in 2003, and led the School through the event again in 2006. Sue took many of her cues from her predecessor. “I hope that I have managed to carry forward Liz’s determination that we offer opportunities to recognize and respect all constituents of our student body, and in particular, that International Week offers a platform for the talents and traditions of our International students.”
When not totally immersed in all things Shawnigan, Sue finds time to enjoy her own drawing and painting, and to give extra attention to her little cat, Clio (“the Proclaimer”—the muse of history).