News Archive

I grew up in the bush and spent my afternoons out in the forest – building a fort, digging a hole, making a fire, swimming in the creek, climbing trees, and spotting animals. The outdoors program one of the main reasons I came here. I heard about Shawnigan's Search and Rescue program, and I was really interested in that. It gave me an opportunity to take what I did growing up and take it to a more professional level. Instead of just grabbing a rope and shimmying up a tree, I learned how to use rope work. I got my hands on a piece of tubular webbing, learned how to tie a harness, and learned to climb, to repel, to belay, and to set up my own anchors and safeties to go up and down vertical slopes.

 

Simply put, that program meant quite a lot because I got to meet my best friend through it, Oscar Nicoletti. We were kind of goofing off at the time and they gave us an assignment to learn knots. Oscar said he picked me because he thought I knew what I was doing, but I was kind of being a goofball. I picked the Prusik knot to learn, which is a friction hitch you use for climbing stuff, and I thought we could test it by climbing trees with it. So, we went out to the bushes by the Grade 8 rugby field, and there were some three-inch thick trees. We would climb 20 feet up those, and we built a little tree fort up there, just winching ourselves up on these little knots hours at a time.

 

The outdoor program gave me an opportunity to meet great people, like Mr. Ferris and Mr. Ryan, who are both great staff members I’ve really enjoyed getting to know. It also connected me with members of Cowichan Search and Rescue – Cass, John, and Dewey – who I've seen and been in contact with after the fact. It showed me how to try great things. Oscar and I even got a rope from there and made a zipline over Shawnigan Creek, made rope swings, built fires, and we'd go and sneak off and catch snakes in the Field of Dreams and have a blast.

 

 

April 27, 1916 was the day that C.W. Lonsdale signed the charter that created Shawnigan, and we marked it with events both serious and – in the words of an alumnus and former Chair of the Board of Governors – “absurd and ridiculous.” Interested in learning more about Lonsdale’s journey in creating a boarding school, read this blog post by Shawnigan’s archivist, Sarah Teunis-Russ.  

 

Throughout 2026, we are celebrating the School’s 110th anniversary with special gatherings around the world, from London, Tokyo, Shanghai, and Seoul to Hong Kong and back home on campus.

Shawnigan was proud to host a special 110th anniversary event at Canada House in Trafalgar Square, London, on March 27, 2026. We were delighted to welcome over 120 guests from our global community, including alumni, current and past parents, and friends of the School. Most incredibly, we were joined by David Trafford-Roberts ’43 (Lake’s), who originally attended Shawnigan as part of Operation Pied Piper during WWII! Other special guests included Canadian Olympic gold medallist (Tokyo 2020) Maggie Mac Neil, nuclear physicist Gerry Lander (son of John Lander '24, Shawnigan’s first Olympic gold medallist), and Gary Savage, Headmaster of Westminster School (C.W. Lonsdale’s alma mater).

When I came to Shawnigan it was really quite a gift. I joke that I retired when I came here after my 24 years in the public system. A comfortable environment, a sanctuary of a sort – that’s what this place really offered me.

When I arrived in 2003, I had a very clear picture of the commitment that was made to teachers by independent schools in general, and of the types of people, the personalities that existed in these systems, and I wanted to be a part of that. So that was really what it was about overall. My son Pat was really interested in this system, this School specifically. He had a really close circle of friends to begin with who were connected to the School. I was really impressed with what I saw at that time – and still am, obviously – but at that time it was part of that inspiration I had to join the School.

 

I started as the music director, along with a few other roles. My first House duties were in Copeman’s House. I worked a great deal outside of the regular routine to make things happen for music. The only way I could do that was to work in the evenings and try to offer those kids an opportunity to keep their music up. The goal was to never let them get away. Once you start playing, you can’t give time off for half a term.

 

“I can’t believe they’re only in Grade 8!”

 

That phrase could be heard uttered again and again following the performances of this year’s Grade 8 musical, School of Rock. The performers and stage crew – many of whom had never been involved in a musical or any other kind of stage production before ­– blew the audience away in back-to-back standing-room-only shows in the Wilkinson Theatre last Friday.

 

“The vast majority of them had never done any performing before, and all of a sudden we’re telling them they’ve got to perform two sold-out shows in front of the whole School and their parents and siblings,” director Mr. Vince Hale pointed out. “At the end of the first show, they went crazy and they needed a pep talk reminding them that they had one more show to do – they brought it even more the second time.”

 

School of Rock is based on the 2003 movie starring Jack Black as Dewey Finn, a wannabe rock star who poses as a substitute teacher and turns his students into a rock group that enters a Battle of the Bands. Full of Jack Black’s manic energy and the spirit of rock and roll, the show asks a lot of the cast and crew, and the Grade 8s delivered.

 

The Remarkable Class of 2026,

 

On opening day – marking your first tentative steps at Shawnigan – you stood between the two tree sentinels up there, at the top of the amphitheatre, for a photograph with your family.

 

Today, you have walked out of Mitchell Hall, past the bronze stag, under the stained-glass window with our school crest, through the Main Building, under our motto, Palmam Qui Meruit Ferat, on the arch, down the steps, past the sentinel trees, and into the Schieldrop Amphitheatre – in many ways coming full circle on your time here at Shawnigan.

 

Over the last couple of weeks, we have completed phase II of the amphitheatre – you will have just walked over a stone slab engraved in golden letters with the Founder’s Prayer, which you heard in Chapel before lunch: “It is not the beginning, but the continuing of the same, until it be thoroughly finished, which yieldeth the true glory.”

 

You are at the point today – Closing Day – of being “thoroughly finished” at Shawnigan.

 

And today – June 20 – is Midsummer’s Day.

 

For the second year in a row, almost all of Shawnigan’s Grade 9 students ventured off campus for several days at the end of the year to learn more about the natural environment of Vancouver Island – and about themselves. And the School set an unofficial West Coast Trail record in the process

 

It is the Week Without Walls, the capstone of Shawnigan’s Beyond the Gates program, one of the School’s foundational experiential learning programs. Beyond the Gates was launched with a small group of Grade 9s in 2021, but has grown exponentially. In 2025, the capstone experience expanded to include every student in that age group, with most venturing into the Vancouver Island backcountry and a smaller group staying closer to home. A total of 77 Grade 9 students – almost the entire class – took part in the Week Without Walls.

 

Two groups of about 10 students each hiked the entire West Coast Trail that covers 75 kilometres on the rugged outer edge of Vancouver Island, and another two groups hiked half of that trail. Two more groups of 10 apiece kayaked the Broken Group Islands. The remaining 16 students spent four days at Camp Pringle, a short distance away from the School on the west shore of Shawnigan Lake, and one additional day engaging in activities on campus.

 

I was thinking last night about the end of year awards ceremonies, our school motto – Palmam Qui Meruit Ferat (Let the rewards go to those who have worked to deserve them) – the Shawnigan Journey, inspirational teachers and coaches, report writing and much more.

 

In a recent Senior Leadership Team strategic away day off campus, I asked each member of my team to write down the name of a teacher or coach who had inspired them when they were at school – and to share with us more about the individual teacher and why he or she had made a significant difference to their life. I suggested at the end that each member of the Senior Leadership Team write to the teacher (or his or her family) – decades on – to express gratitude for the encouragement, support and inspiration and to tell them, even now, that their influence continues. It is, after all, never too late to say thank you.

 

What struck me most was that Mr. Mayes (Class of ’89) chose not to highlight an inspirational Shawnigan teacher but instead told the story of a science teacher in the 1980s who had actively discouraged him from taking chemistry in Grade 12. Mr. Mayes had loved chemistry from an early age, inspired by a Christmas gift of a chemistry set.

 

Today, June 18, is written into the history books as the day in 1815 when Napoleon Bonaparte was defeated at the Battle of Waterloo.

 

Our founder, C.W. Lonsdale, loved his history books – and of course our School Motto is taken from the Napoleonic wars and Admiral Horatio Nelson’s coat of arms.

 

This evening, we gather together in the Schieldrop Amphitheatre (with the Lonsdale statue looking down upon us) for one final time for the end-of-year-major awards – and simply to be together.

 

Tomorrow, our Grade 8s through to Grade 11s are returning home, with a special Closing Day planned for our Grade 12s on Saturday.

 

I do want to mention – in front of the whole School ­– our gratitude to our leavers: the Class of 2026, and other students off for new adventures. Some of our wonderful German and Mexican students return home and we hope one day to welcome you back. We feel a combined sense of loss and happiness as you step beyond our world towards your own futures.

 

Spectators at the docks on Shawnigan Lake could hear tape being ripped off a roll as time ticked down to the beginning of the 10th annual Grade 9 boat race last Thursday.

 

The Grade 9s were putting the finishing touches on their watercraft as they prepared for the race, which sees the hopeful sailors create a boat from (mostly) recycled material, then attempt to manoeuvre it from the shore, around a buoy at the end of the dock and back.

 

It’s noisy and wet, and great fun for the participants and spectators. But it’s also a valuable learning experience: students are encouraged to be curious, support their community, find courage, and develop compassion; and it is an opportunity for discovery, team building, expression, and communication.

 

It has been another outstanding year of athletics at Shawnigan, highlighted down the stretch by remarkable results for our rowing, rugby and squash programs, along with some excellent work by individual athletes in sports that don’t always get recognition at Shawnigan.

 

Shawnigan’s rowing team had an outstanding weekend at the 79th Canadian Secondary School Rowing Association in St. Catharines, Ontario on June 5-7. The School sent 10 rowers to the national championships, and they brought home three medals, including gold in the senior women’s quad.

 

Isabella P., Charlotte L, Kalissa S., and Sam P. delivered a superb performance on the final day of the regatta to claim the national title after qualifying through a dramatic semifinal a day earlier.

 

A select cohort of graduating students who have spent the last five years at Shawnigan were treated to a special dinner with the Head of School, their Advisors, House Directors, and the Senior Leadership Team on Tuesday evening.

 

The 24 students started their Shawnigan Journey in Grade 8 and have followed it through to Grade 12, developing unique relationships both with each other and the School as a whole. Every year, that group is celebrated near the end of the year at the 5 Year Dinner.

 

After spending their Grade 8 year in Samuel House – Shawnigan’s newest boarding house and Canada’s first co-ed Grade 8 boarding house – Shawnigan students go through a unique ceremony to learn where they will live for the rest of their respective Shawnigan Journeys.

 

That would be the Sorting Hat Ceremony, which was inspired by a similar tradition in the Harry Potter universe. Under the auspices of Head of School Mr. Larry Lamont and Executive Director of Admissions Mrs. Gaynor Samuel, students take turns donning the floppy, conical headwear, where they are informed which “big” House they will join for the next four years.

 

Boarding houses are a fundamental aspect of the Shawnigan experience, and special homes away from home for our students. The peers they live with and the House staff become family for them during their time at the School. For each student, their House automatically becomes “the best House on campus.”

 

The School thought outside the box when it came to this year’s Bruce-Lockhart Fellowship, and ended up with some thought-provoking boxes.

 

The Bruce-Lockhart Fellowship for Academic Excellence 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. This year, the School looked inward and offered the position to someone who was already on staff: archivist and curator Mrs. Sarah Teunis-Russ.

 

Mrs. Teunis-Russ started as archivist and curator in early 2025, and added the Bruce-Lockhart Fellowship to her duties just after Christmas, concentrating on that position one day every week. She worked predominantly with the social studies department, which seemed like a natural fit with her history-related work as archivist and curator.

 

“I did research on my own, and took a couple of courses because I’m not a teacher,” she explained. “And I attended social studies department meetings.”

 

One of Alan A.’s favourite things about Model United Nations conferences is connecting with new people who are as passionate about MUN as he is. Late last month, Alan had the opportunity to meet a whole new group at the first-ever Harvard MUN Canada Tournament of Champions in Toronto.

 

“The best part about Model UN is meeting new people who are into similar stuff,” Alan explained. “There’s no barrier; people just come up to you and talk. It’s super social.”

 

Alan joined top delegates from across the country for the four-day conference at the Toronto Westin Harbour Castle. It was more competitive than most MUN conferences, he said, but still an outstanding experience.

 

Another fantastic year of arts and activities programming came to an end this week with the last day of 360 on Monday, followed by 360 Day on Wednesday – 360 Colours were handed out in the Gathering, and in the afternoon, different groups, from robotics to photography to fly tying, had the opportunity to display what they have been working on all year, followed by a barbecue in the Quad and a Cabaret.

 

Other 360 and curricular fine art groups have had separate opportunities to showcase their efforts from the past year, including the Rock Band 360 attending Battle of the Bands in Duncan, a festival for both 360 and curricular film programs, the Night of Dance, and an evening of musical theatre numbers.

 

Each year, a major aspect of creating a nurturing environment for the youngest students at Shawnigan – our Grade 8s – is involving older students in Grade 11 as mentors in Samuel House.

 

A number of Grade 11 students are chosen to stay in Samuel House on a rotating basis, helping the Grade 8s make the adjustment to boarding school.

 

“Every year the Grade 11 mentors come in and look after the Grades 8s,” explained Mrs. Rainbow Bartlett, one of the House Directors of Samuel House. “From tucking them up at night, to telling them stories and playing up at the Sportsplex. They are forever making the Grade 8s feel so welcome and loved as they transition into the School and into Shawnigan life.”

 

A select group of Grade 12 students bared their souls on Monday in front of an audience of invited guests at the annual “This I Believe” evening of speeches. The evening showcased a wide range of topics and emotions as the graduating students read aloud pieces they have written about topics close to their hearts.

 

As part of the English curriculum at Shawnigan, all Grade 12 students prepare essays about a topic of their choice, reflecting in some way on takeaways from their high school experience, and read it to their classmates. The classes then help decide who reads at the final event, held in the Chapel in early June in front of an audience restricted to their fellow Grade 12 students and invited staff members.

 

It was a dark and stormy night.

 

Honestly, it was more overcast and drizzly, but it still set a perfect scene for the Law 12 classes’ murder mystery night in the Library on Monday.

 

It was the first time that Mr. Galen Loiselle had organized such an event for his Law 12 students, and it was daunting, he admitted, until inclusive education teacher Mrs. Rosalynd Roome – who just happens to have previous experience with murder mysteries – stepped into help organize and coordinate it. With three Law 12 classes totalling 60 students, it was a big endeavour. 

A unique and fundamental part of the School’s social studies program, Shawnigan House of Commons – where Grade 10 students recreate the lower house of the Parliament of Canada – usually takes place in December, but organizers moved it to May this year to give the students more time to prepare. 

Shawnigan paid tribute to Edward R. “Ned” Larsen – the School’s third Headmaster – with a special service in Chapel on Saturday, followed by the official dedication of the squash centre in his name.

 

Ned Larsen (Groves’) graduated from Shawnigan in 1943, then returned in 1948 as a math teacher, and eventually served as Headmaster from 1958 to 1967. He was also a gifted athlete, playing rugby and cricket at Shawnigan and earning the Sportsmanship Award, and later earned Blues Awards in squash, badminton and basketball at Oxford. He also represented Canada in both squash and field hockey.

 

Former Shawnigan teacher and coach Ian Hyde-Lay ’75 (Lake’s) was invited to speak about Larsen, a lifelong friend of his father, Derek Hyde-Lay. The men met in 1948, and the elder Hyde-Lay joined Larsen on the Shawnigan staff that fall. They remained close friends until Larsen passed away in 1983.

 

Accompanied by their families, guests, and many staff members, the members of Shawnigan’s Class of 2026 travelled to Whistler last week for graduation events at the Fairmont Chateau Whistler on May 14 and 15.

 

The two-day celebration began on Thursday with the Parent Gathering, where family members mingled with staff.

 

Everyone was up early on Friday to prepare for the Grad Gala that evening. In the afternoon, students and their families lined up for portraits with School photographer Ms. Arden Gill, followed by House photos and a shot of the entire Class of 2026 in their graduation finery.

 

Grade 11 student Wendy H. combined her passion for figure skating and her interest in science to create an award-winning project for the Vancouver Island Regional Science Fair hosted by the University of Victoria last month.

 

Wendy’s self-guided research project, "Biomechanical Analysis of the Sit Spin in Figure Skating: Assessing Movement Load and Injury Risk” studied the mechanics of the sit spin, a commonly used element of figure skating, with a focus on the physics and forces at work. She entered it in the science fair at UVic in April, with some impressive results.

 

“I did the research project, and I wanted to present it somewhere,” Wendy explained. “Publishing takes a lot of effort, and I wanted professional advice before I tried publishing.”

 

Hundreds of rowers representing 18 schools and clubs from across Vancouver Island, the Lower Mainland, and the Okanagan Valley converged on Shawnigan Lake last weekend for the School’s 65th annual regatta.

 

“The regatta was a fantastic weekend and a wonderful celebration of rowing at Shawnigan,” Head of Rowing Mrs. Jennifer Parfitt commented. “The atmosphere around the park was festive and energetic, with plenty of great racing and a beautiful setting for athletes, families, and spectators to enjoy. While the windy conditions created some delays, the regatta team adapted well, and we were able to get back on schedule and complete a full day of racing.”

 

No races had to be cancelled due to the weather, which is a blessing for any regatta. Shawnigan had 39 entries over the three days of racing, and collected four gold medals, two silvers and three bronzes, as well as several top times for school-based crews.

 

Thanks to the efforts of dozens of students, staff, and other members of the Shawnigan community, a major gift from Brad Assu ’83 (Lonsdale’s) is now on display.

 

Under Brad’s supervision, students have been helping to complete two 20-foot totem poles – exact replicas of house posts that were originally carved more than a century ago. With the replicas now complete, they were painstakingly relocated from just outside the Bruce-Lockhart Centre for Creativity to their new temporary location in the Shaw Centre for Science, and last Friday, they were unveiled to the public in a moving ceremony.

 

Brad’s gift, in gratitude for the time he and his three older brothers spent at Shawnigan, was announced in October 2024, at the Chapel Gathering for the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. The house posts are replicas of two posts that were carved in 1910 by Kwakwa̱ka̱ʼwakw artist Johnny Kla-wat-chi for Chief Billy Assu – Brad’s great-grandfather and a respected leader of the We Wai Kai. In the 1930s, the posts were removed and shipped to the museum in Ottawa that is now known as the National Museum of History.

 

Shawnigan students took a day to focus on health of all kinds during the Day of Well-Being held all across campus on Sunday.

 

“The purpose was to give students the opportunity to participate in different holistic health practice,” said school counsellor Ms. Jenny Tully, who organized the event along with her fellow counsellors and students, including the mental health Prefects.

 

Participation in the activities was entirely voluntary, but about half the student population took part. Students were given a plethora of options to pick from, including massage therapy, reiki, a performance and visualization group, yoga on the docks, a sound journey and sound bath, music therapy guided by Grade 12 student Rosa O., and floral design and bouquet making at the Growing Dome.

 

A unique springtime tradition at Shawnigan continued this week as students released several hundred coho salmon fry into Shawnigan Creek to begin their lives in the wild.

 

While many schools in BC incorporate the life cycle of the salmon into their programs, Shawnigan is unique in that these fish were born and bred in our on-campus hatchery, something no other school in the province has. Programs centred on the hatchery help students learn more about the life cycle of the coho salmon, the ecology of Vancouver Island and the west coast, and countless other scientific concepts.

 

The salmon used to breed the fry were harvested last fall during their return migration to Mill Bay Creek, then taken to the School where Grade 9 science students and Grade 11 environmental science students harvested their eggs and sperm. For the last several months, students have nurtured them inside the Mark Hobson Hatchery from fertilized eggs to alevin and then to fry, ready to live on their own.

 

Two months after the School presented The Little Mermaid as its annual musical, we returned to the depths last Saturday for an “Under the Sea”-themed fundraising gala, the latest in a long series of annual galas.

 

Grade 11 student Jackson F., who organized the fundraiser as part of his capstone project for Grade 12, explained that the theme served a dual purpose. 

Monday was a day to celebrate Shawnigan Lake School’s history – all 110 years of it.

 

April 27, 1916 was the day that C.W. Lonsdale signed the charter that created Shawnigan, and we marked it with events both serious and – in the words of an alumnus and former Chair of the Board of Governors – “absurd and ridiculous.”

 

A Chapel Gathering was held after lunch, at which Head of School Mr. Lamont spoke about Mr. Lonsdale, his choice of the School motto Palmam Qui Meruit Ferat (which had previously been the motto of British naval hero Lord Horatio Nelson) and some of the traditions Mr. Lonsdale brought to Shawnigan from his own alma mater, Westminster School in London.

 

Mr. Lamont also commemorated the end of our series “Shawnigan in 110 Objects.” Dating back to the beginning of 2024, the School has posted to its website each week one object that helps tell the story of the School, selected and written about by former archivist Mrs. Lynn Rolston, former Head of English and current Director of Professional Development Mrs. Cari Bell, and Director of Communications and Marketing Mrs. Jenny Dunbar, with photographs from the School archives or newly taken by photographer Ms. Arden Gill. Appropriately, the final object was the portrait of Mr. Lonsdale that hangs in Marion Hall alongside those of the Heads who have served since him.

 

Every school year, Shawnigan students spend months pouring their hearts – and souls – into passion projects, then present the results of those projects to their peers and staff members. We call it Soul Seeking, and it brings out the best in our students, often in unexpected ways.

 

For junior students, the presentations take the form of a fair, with presentations on cardboard trifolds and laptop computers set up throughout the Library and spilling into Mitchell Hall. For seniors, Soul Seeking projects double as their BC education-required capstone projects, and they are presented to a panel of staff members.

 

For junior students (Grades 8-10), work on Soul Seeking projects begins in September and takes place during Career-Life Education classes – where Soul Seeking is part of a student’s final grade –  and in spare time. Students were able to work solo or in small groups, and could apply for small grants, with about 12 grants handed out.

 

The last two weeks have provided opportunities for students in our curricular and 360 performing arts programs to show what they have been working on over the last several months. Late last week, the Theatre Company 11/12 class performed Puffs, a Harry Potter-inspired play, and this past Monday, the figure skating 360 presented its Spring Ice Show.

 

 

The Theatre Company 11/12 class mounted its biggest production of the year on April 16, 17 and 18, treating students, staff and parents to Puffs, a play set in the Harry Potter universe but highlighting the oft-overlooked residents of Hufflepuff House.

 

The play is usually staged in June, but was moved up to April this year to help students manage their academic and athletic loads that come toward the end of the school year. As it was, they had just eight days to put the finishing touches on the show, so they took some extra time outside of class to make sure they were ready.

 

Over five days this week, Shawnigan witnessed the painstaking creation of a beautiful piece of art, followed almost immediately by its ceremonial dissolution.

 

The artwork in question was a Manjushri Sand Mandala, constructed from millions of grains of coloured sand by four Tibetan Buddhist monks from the Tsengdok Monastery in Vancouver led by Master Tenzin Chockyi Gyalsten (Tsengdok Rinpoche). The event offered a unique opportunity to experience ancient traditions through art, ritual, and mindfulness, while reflecting on the Buddhist teachings of impermanence and non-attachment.

 

The monks were brought to Shawnigan by the BE A JEDI (Belonging, Equity, Acceptance, and Justice – Embracing Diversity and Intersectionality) Committee co-chaired by Mrs. Wendy Milne and Dr. Pema Yangchen.

Winter term sports wrapped up just before Spring Break, with one of the main events being the CSSHL Western Championships in Penticton, which all four of our Prep teams attended. Spring sports got going before the break, and picked up right where they left off when students returned.

 

The U17 Prep boys went undefeated in their Div. 2 tournament to bring home the banner from Penticton.

 

Shawnigan opened on a strong note, beating the North Shore Warriors 5-0 on a 35-save shutout by Donagh E. That was followed by decisive victories over Notre Dame and Coeur d’Alene Hockey Academy, and then a 4-3 overtime win over St. George’s in the semifinal, with Cache T. netting the winner. The final was a rematch against Notre Dame, with Darwin K., Matthew S., and Bartley C. each recording three points in a 6-4 Shawnigan victory. Darwin K. was named Playoff MVP.

 

A pair of inspiring student leaders guided four of their peers and two teachers on a life-changing tour of Nepal over Spring Break.

 

Grade 12s Pemba L. and Dorje S. came up with the idea of an EDGE (Engagement, Development, Gratitude and Experience) service trip to their home country, pitched it to School leadership, and got it approved. In Nepal, they served as guides and translators for the rest of the group through a unique and personal journey through the Himalayan nation.

 

Soon after arriving in Kathmandu, the group visited Shree Mangval Dvip School, which Shawnigan has a long-running relationship with, and which both Pemba and Dorje attended. The Shawnigan contingent was given a warm welcome before the students were assigned to classrooms where they engaged in teaching, learning, sharing, and helping the teachers.

 

The theme of this year’s Spring Break trips and tours was France, as not only did Shawnigan send students on the traditional French Immersion exchange to Angers, but two rugby teams – the boys’ First XV and Iron Women – also toured that country, while the Colts travelled to the UK. That’s not to mention the EDGE Trip to Nepal, which merits its own story that can be found here.

 

Continuing a relationship that goes back well over a decade, 10 French Immersion students travelled to Angers, France to complete this year’s exchange after students from Lycée Sacre-Coeur visited Shawnigan in the fall.

 

Flight delays and cancellations made it a challenge for the Shawnigan contingent to get to France, but teachers Mrs. Eva Holloway and Mr. Graham Linn managed to find a way. Once they got there, the students spent 10 days in Angers, where they were billeted with local families and attended classes at the lycée.

 

Reid Irwin has continued to build an impressive path both academically and athletically since graduating from Shawnigan Lake School. After completing his time in junior A hockey, Reid earned a scholarship to the University of Denver before transferring to Colgate University, where he spent his final three NCAA seasons. At Colgate, he served as assistant captain in his junior year and was named captain in his senior year, reflecting his strong leadership and character.

Following graduation, Reid pursued professional hockey. While he had multiple playing options, education remained a priority. He ultimately signed with the Belfast Giants of the Elite Ice Hockey League (EIHL) in the United Kingdom. So far, in his first professional season, Reid has recorded 19 points in 44 games on a very strong Belfast team.

Beyond hockey, the Belfast Giants support their players’ academic growth. Reid is currently completing his MBA in Project Management through Lasell University in Massachusetts, balancing graduate studies alongside his professional career.

Reid’s journey highlights the lasting impact of a Shawnigan education and the balance of leadership, academics, and athletics beyond school. 

Shawnigan Lake School is a proud supporter of the HSBC Vancouver Sevens. Thank you to our Presenting Sponsor, the Lecky Foundation, and all of our sponsors for keeping the tradition of Shawnigan rugby stronger than ever.

The Lecky family’s connection to Shawnigan Lake School is foundational. John M.S. Lecky ’57 (Groves’) was a visionary whose commitment to the School is absolute. 

An outstanding competitive season for Shawnigan’s Robotics program may have ended without a trip to the VEX Robotics World Championship, but the teams still came away with several accomplishments to be proud of.

 

Shawnigan fielded five teams this year, including three standout crews that consistently made the playoffs at tournaments across Vancouver Island and collected multiple awards.

 

“The top teams performed really well, while the other teams could go to tournaments and have fun,” said Mr. Tim Stephens, the School’s Head of Science and one of the teachers who works with the Robotics program.

 

The game played in competition changes from year to year, and this year’s game, Push Back, had a “lower barrier to entry,” in Mr. Stephens’ words, which made it easier for more teams to participate and contend.

 

Dozens of rainbow trout found a new home in Lake Omar last week as the remediation of the campus’s aquatic centrepiece continued.

 

A favourite of lake and river anglers across western North America that has been introduced around the world, the rainbow trout is native to Vancouver Island. It has had a presence in Lake Omar even within the last decade, but has been largely absent in recent years – until last Tuesday, at least.

The School acquired 200 six-inch trout, releasing the majority into Lake Omar, although about 50 were put into an empty tank in the Mark Hobson Hatchery on the lakeshore, which is usually used for raising coho salmon.

 

Since they were released, the fish have been observed happily jumping throughout the lake. Major predators, such as otters, mink or herons, haven’t been spotted yet, although they were often present even before the recent stocking, so it is only a matter of time. Until then, the fish will enjoy being fed and not being fed upon. Students and staff, however, will be invited to fish for the trout.

 

Like so many across Canada and around the world, the Shawnigan community was shocked and saddened by the tragic incident in the small BC community of Tumbler Ridge on February 10.

 

Among other initiatives at the School supporting the stricken town of 2,400, the Grade 8 students in Samuel House were invited to create a wall hanging to send to Tumbler Ridge Secondary School to show the people there that Shawnigan is thinking of them, along with a book of messages written by members of the entire School community.

 

“In Samuel House, we often talk about what it means to be a community,” Grade 8 student Joanna G. related. “Our House Directors describe Samuel as a place filled with warmth, kindness, and connection. Recently, we had the opportunity to put those values into action through a very special project.”

 

A lighthearted collaboration between multiple aspects of the Fine Arts department entertained students with a concert in a unique venue – usually known for being a quiet space – resulted in a high-calibre film, and will hopefully inspire similar projects in the near future.

 

Music fans might be familiar with NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert series, which has run for 18 years, featuring artists from across the spectrum of genres preforming stripped-down versions of their songs in the NPR office. Shawnigan now has its own spin on the beloved series thanks to a student-led project that combines music, film, and recording arts.

 

Grade 12 student and Academics and Music Prefect Rosa O. and music teacher Mr. Vince Hale are big fans of the series, and take every opportunity to watch the concerts. It was while fulfilling one of her Prefect tasks that she came up with the idea for Shawnigan’s version of the Tiny Desk Concert – the Dewey Decible Desk.

 

Students have a new way to navigate the Shawnigan Journey following last week’s roll-out of the Shawnigan Compass.

 

The Shawnigan Compass is an artificial intelligence resource designed to help students determine what classes they need to take in order to achieve their post-secondary and career goals, in a way that supplements the way students work with the Guidance Office, advisors and parents.

 

“It makes meeting with the Guidance Office more efficient,” said Academic Captain Angus W. “It doesn’t replace guidance counsellors – at the end of the day, they are much better. If you use it in place of guidance counsellors, you’ll be in trouble. But it can get the ball rolling.”

 

The Beyond the Gates program faced some challenges in making the annual trip to Mount Washington work this year, but they pulled it off on the second attempt.

 

The trip to the ski resort near Courtenay typically takes place in January, but it had to be postponed this year due to poor skiing conditions. Over the weekend before the second try, the mountain received an astonishing 108 cm of snow, and actually had to curtail some operations on Sunday. It was fully open on Monday, but Islanders eager to take advantage flocked to the mountain, so just getting the students to the lodge was a bit of a struggle.

 

“It was challenging to get started,” outdoor education instructor Mr. Devin Ryan admitted.

 

Saturday, February 7, 2026

 

Dear Little Mermaid cast and crew,

 

It was such an absolute joy to be in the McPherson Playhouse on Friday evening (with the Board of Governors) and again on Saturday afternoon. I enjoy seeing the production from different angles – the stalls down below on Friday to the highpoint of a box seat above the stage and orchestra pit on Saturday.

 

There was so much energy, imagination and creativity bubbling through the musical: the choreography of performers, the personality brought to each character, the live orchestra, the superbly conceived set and stagecraft, the artwork (including papier-mâché salmon) and banners in the foyer, and much more.

 

It was a wonderful performance. I am convinced that somehow each musical gets better and better each year (perhaps as my memory of past productions fades).

 

It may have been based on the 1989 Disney animated movie, but staging The Little Mermaid, Shawnigan’s 2026 School musical, was anything but colouring between the lines.

 

“It was an absolute beast of a show to produce,” said Ms. Mandy Bryant, who served as music director for The Little Mermaid, which ran at Victoria’s McPherson Playhouse for three nights and one afternoon from February 4 to 7. “There were many panicked moments, but we couldn’t be happier with how the kids came through.”

 

Ms. Bryant called The Little Mermaid the hardest show the current creative team of staff members has produced together. “The music is so complex,” she said. “The leads and ensemble have so much to learn. We didn’t expect The Little Mermaid to be monumental like it was.”

 

While winter sports aficionados around the world were focused on the ice and snow of northern Italy last week, Shawnigan students and staff took to the mountains of southern BC for Ski Week 2026.

 

Like the Olympics, the week at Manning Park, between Princeton and Hope, featured alpine and Nordic skiing, and snowboarding, but there were also events, such as karaoke, and Reach for the Top, that may not be specific to the season but are Shawnigan Ski Week staples nonetheless.

 

Just as the student body as a whole gets away from campus, the individual students have the opportunity to get out of their comfort zones, and many of them take advantage.

 

In front of a Grade 9 Health and Career Education class on Wednesday, Mr. Andrew Ference recalled a time when he took an initiative that changed his life.

 

Going into his National Hockey League draft year as an 18-year-old, Mr. Ference wasn’t seen as enough of a potential NHL player to be invited to the combine – that’s where prospects go through a series of rigorous fitness tests, with the results shared with scouts across the league to consider alongside their statistics and performances in games. His response? “I’ll do my own testing.” Mr. Ference went to the University of Alberta, near his hometown, and paid to go through all the same tests as the prospects who were invited, then faxed them (faxing was still the go-to communication method in 1997) to all 26 NHL general managers along with a cover letter. He wasn’t invited to attend the draft, but he received a phone call that day informing him that he had been selected by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the eighth round, 208th overall out of 246 players picked. Craig Patrick, the Penguins’ general manager at the time, also called and told him how bold it was to send out his fitness results.

 

Mr. Ference went on to play 907 NHL games – more than 17 of the 26 players picked in the first round – reaching the Stanley Cup finals with the Calgary Flames in 2004, winning the Cup with the Boston Bruins in 2011, captaining the Edmonton Oilers from 2013 to 2015, and receiving the King Clancy Memorial Award for leadership on and off the ice in 2014. He still works for the NHL, in addition to being a current parent and coach at Shawnigan.

 

From the Head of Shawnigan Regatta in late November to climbing and basketball competitions this week, the last few months have seen a great deal of success for Shawnigan’s teams and athletes in a variety of sports.

 

After a break of several years, the Head of Shawnigan Regatta returned in late November with strong results from the host rowing crews.

 

The early-morning fog burned off as the sun rose in the sky, and although the Shawnigan team had some members unable to compete due to illness, the School collected first-place finishes in the U19 boys’ single (Steven D.), the U17 boy’s eight, the U15 boys’ and girls’ coxed quads, and novice girls’ quad, as well as a second-place finish in the U19 boys’ double.

 

Staff members got into the act as well, with Mrs. Julie Platt joining a masters four crew that posted a brilliant time, and Mr. Travis Gronsdahl placing second in the masters single on raw time. A team of administration staff taking part in a health and wellness rowing initiative placed second in their women’s quad race.

 

In all, five clubs took part in the Head of Shawnigan, with a total of 49 entries.

 

Shawnigan’s success at the Vancouver Model United Nations conference last weekend is a testament to the efforts of the student leaders who have taken ownership of the program.

 

The School sent 18 students to the conference, the 25th annual session of VMUN. The largest high school student-organized Model UN conference in North America, it attracted 1,500 students this year, divided into 20 committees. Three Shawnigan students came away with awards. Aven T., representing China in the World Meteorological Organisation, and Alan A., representing France in the International Atomic Energy Agency, both received the highly sought-after gavels presented to the Best Delegate in each committee, while Angelina Z., representing Burundi in the Disarmament and International Security Committee, earned an Honourable Mention.

 

“My experience at the 25th iteration of the Vancouver Model United Nations conference was a whirlwind of debate, honing my speaking skills, and forming new friendships that I have no doubt will last far beyond my time in Model UN,” Alan stated. “Representing France in the International Atomic Energy Agency allowed me to better my public speaking and debate skills, while growing my knowledge on current affairs. Having been in Model UN for two years, it has been a fulfilling 360 and beyond that, has helped my writing and presenting skills in all other facets of Shawnigan.”

 

Ducking down through a low door in the Shawnigan Sportsplex, you find yourself in a new environment: a space where students and other members of the Shawnigan community can feel safe while challenging themselves physically and mentally and escaping the busyness of life at Shawnigan to focus on one thing.

 

Welcome to the Kameda Climbing Centre. Built in a repurposed squash court – hence the low door, which was intentionally left as it was to give the feeling of entering a completely different place – the Climbing Centre replaces a climbing wall in the Larsen Gymnasium for which accessibility was an issue as climbers couldn’t be in the gym when basketball teams were practicing, for example, and climbing groups had to go off campus two or three times a week. The new facility also allows for two climbing disciplines – bouldering and top rope – whereas the old wall was only built for top rope. Top rope uses a rope and a harness for higher climbs and requires a partner, while bouldering involves shorter climbs on lower walls with mats for climbers to land on if they fall.

 

“We had the idea of using the old squash court space so students could stay on campus, and also so people who are not in adventure sports or the Outdoor Leadership and Development Club would be able to use it,” explained Outdoor Education Coordinator Ms. Jessica Dick.

 

The Grade 8s in Samuel House aren’t up for points in the inter-House standings, which are strictly for the senior Houses, but they still take part in the competitions, which are such an ingrained part of boarding culture and do so much to bolster House spirit.

 

At inter-House rowing last Saturday, the Samuel House boys ended up winning, and would have taken the most points if they were eligible. The strong crop of Grade 8 rowers actually had their team in the lead in the early going, but ended up blowing the other teams out of the metaphorical water – inter-House rowing is contested in the gym on erg machines – with the help of athletes from Rowing Canada’s national team. On the girls’ side, Strathcona House was able to hold off the combined Grade 8/Rowing Canada team.

 

Thanks to a formal partnership between Shawnigan and Rowing Canada Aviron, the national team athletes train regularly on Shawnigan Lake out of the School’s boathouse. Rowing Canada also has a training space in the Sportsplex, full of high-end equipment that Shawnigan students have access to. The national team rowers can frequently be found enjoying a coffee in Duke’s Café after their training is over.

 

As part of the Shawnigan Journey, each grade is tagged with a unique word. For alumni, that word is “thrive,” as Shawnigan strives to prepare graduates to flourish even after they have moved on to the next steps in their lives.

 

One of the biggest parts of that preparation is Shawnigan’s Guidance Office.

 

“The job of the Guidance Office is to work in concert with students to help them thrive beyond the gates of Shawnigan, to plan their pathways post-secondary, whatever that looks like – if it’s university, college, a gap year, or something else,” says Director of Futures Mr. Paul Doig.

 

Students had the unique opportunity last week to see the world through the eyes of an award-winning photographer and environmental artist and learn first-hand about the process and techniques that she employs, with some getting the opportunity to create immersive art alongside her.

 

Nikki Baxendale, a Shawnigan parent, artist and storyteller based in Vancouver, spent last week on campus as a short-term artist in residence, creating art and sharing her knowledge with students through an informative talk and a pair of workshops that explored the relationship between people, art, and the environment.

 

Mrs. Baxendale began the week by painting in Duke’s Café, giving students a chance to observe, engage, and interact with an artist at work.

 

“It was really wonderful to watch when she was in Duke’s,” said Ms. Emily Coolidge, Heimbecker Inspiration Chair for Experiential Education. “At first, there was some apprehension and curiosity on the part of the students, but they gradually started to approach her and ask questions. The place started to buzz.”

 

The sitzprobe is coming!

 

Not something to be feared, the sitzprobe is the first time that the cast of a musical rehearses together with the orchestra. In the case of Shawnigan’s production of The Little Mermaid, that consequential date is just over a week away.

 

“This is the moment when it really kicks into gear,” musical director Mr. Sal Interlandi says. “When they get into the McPherson Playhouse, that is another step. Each step brings more excitement.”

 

The musical version of The Little Mermaid is based on the 1989 Disney animated film, which was in turn based on an 1837 fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen about a mermaid who dreams of the world above the sea and falls in love with a human prince. The show opens on February 4, and the production is becoming more real with every rehearsal.

 

With an hour left to prepare their entry for the Zoom Film Festival, the team behind Shawnigan entry No Return (无归) had cut their footage down to a sleek seven and a half minutes. Unfortunately, that was still two and a half minutes more than the festival permits, leading to some tough decisions down the home stretch, and ultimately to an award nomination.

 

Hosted by West Vancouver’s Mulgrave School, the Zoom Festival gives students a mere 48 hours to write, direct and edit a five-minute film, resulting in a hectic and intense couple of days as well as a fantastic learning experience. Narrowing the scope, the students are emailed a specific prop and a theme via email immediately before the starting pistol fires. Then it’s off to work.

 

This year’s theme was “Can’t ever go back,” and the prop was a ticket. Films were created over an intense 48-hour span in October, and results were unveiled in December. Shawnigan submitted four films, three of which were finalists for awards:

 

December had most students looking forward to going home for Christmas Break, but several of our accomplished student-athletes had other thoughts as they prepared to travel to other parts of Canada and the globe for high-level competition in a variety of sports.

 

 

Prior to Christmas, Joelle K. became a national champion in squash, winning the U17 girls’ title at the Squash Canada 2025 Canadian Junior Open in St. Catharines, Ontario. Although the field consisted mostly of players a year older than her, Joelle didn’t lose a single game, and outscored her opponents 165-68. From Ontario, she travelled straight to Philadelphia for the US Junior Open on December 20-23. In Philadelphia, Joelle went in as a 9-16 seed (out of 108 competitors in the U17 bracket) and won her first three matches, including an upset of the No. 8 seed, to reach the round of 16. She was ousted from the tournament in an intense match with the No. 1 seed.