News & updates
News
List of 5 news stories.
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Lessons Beyond the Gates
Read MoreWitnessing a backcountry rescue helped put things in perspective for Shawnigan students on a Beyond the Gates expedition two weeks ago.On the first night of their hiking trek into the mountains west of Courtenay, the students watched as three helicopters searched for and then rescued a pair of students from another school who ventured into the wilderness woefully underprepared.“It gave our students a different understanding of it,” Outdoor Education Coordinator Ms. Jessica Dick observed. “It helped them understand the risks of being unprepared in the backcountry.” -
Tour de Rock Returns
Read MoreAll 540 Shawnigan students lined the main driveway on Tuesday evening to welcome the Cops for Cancer Tour de Rock back to campus to celebrate its long-running efforts to combat pediatric cancer.The Tour de Rock is a two-week journey down Vancouver Island – from Port Hardy to Victoria – of cyclists representing police services and other emergency responders, raising money for children and their families affected by pediatric cancer, and Shawnigan has been an anticipated stop for the riders since the beginning.Since 1998, Tour de Rock has raised nearly $60 million, including nearly $700,000 raised by Shawnigan Lake School over the last 29 years. Continuing its tradition of supporting Tour de Rock, Shawnigan handed the riders a cheque for $34,000. -
Academic Fellowship Reaches Five
Read MoreWith the milestone announcement this week of the fifth individual to hold the Bruce-Lockhart Fellowship for Academic Excellence, this is an excellent time to look back on the history of the program.The Fellowship was launched in 2021 to bring in an outstanding local, national or international educator to Shawnigan for one year, with the idea of shedding light on aspects of academics that the School may not have previously explored. It was named in recognition of the outstanding service to Shawnigan delivered by former headmaster Simon Bruce-Lockhart (1990-2000) and his wife Joanne (1990-2007). In addition to joining the faculty, each Fellow is given time and resources to work on a passion project.Since its inception, the Fellowship has become an integral part of academics at Shawnigan. -
On Top of Old Baldy
Read MoreShawnigan’s location, with easy access to natural features like lakes, rivers, rainforests and mountains, provides a unique advantage. It’s obviously beneficial to co-curricular programs like Beyond the Gates, the Outdoor Leadership and Development 360, and adventure sports, but teachers also find ways to integrate our surroundings into academics.That was the case last week as two Human Geography 12 classes hiked Old Baldy Mountain, a 10-minute drive away from the School, with the themes of the course in focus.“The purpose was to get the students thinking like human geographers,” explained Mr. Galen Loiselle, whose class hiked Baldy on Friday, a day after Ms. Andrea Robertson’s class made the trek. “It was about working with maps, the importance of place, and technical skills. The new perspective they get from the hike is invaluable.” -
360: Something for Everyone
Read MoreThree brand new offerings were among nearly 30 options available for students to check out at last Friday’s 360 Fair in the Quad.A huge part of the Shawnigan Journey, 360 is the School’s co-curricular arts and activities program. All students are required to enrol in a 360, but with so many options to choose from, there really is something to appeal to everyone’s interests. An experienced team of instructors guides students through sessions twice a week, with optional time on weekends. Some 360s last a full year, some last half the year, and some let students choose either a half or full year.The program operates a little differently for Grade 8s. They can choose two 360s from a select list to start the year; the first one runs from September to November Break, and the second from November Break to Ski Week. After Ski Week, Grade 8s will be able to select from the entire 360 menu.
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We acknowledge with respect the Coast Salish Peoples on whose traditional lands and waterways we live, learn and play. We are grateful for the opportunity to share in this beautiful region, and we aspire to healthy and respectful relationships with those who have lived on and cared for these lands for millennia.
Shawnigan Lake School is an independent co-educational boarding school for ages 12 –18 on Canada’s beautiful Pacific Coast. Our diverse, interdisciplinary and innovative programming helps shape the next generation of global leaders.
