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Working together for a safe return to school
From heat domes to atmospheric rivers, mother nature has shown Shawnigan Lake School what she is truly made of in recent months, with the latest show of force coming in the form of a big snowfall that covered the grounds of the School in a beautiful white blanket of snow. With amounts of up to 50 cm in some places and the anticipated arrival of students back on campus after the winter break, the operations and transportation teams had their work cut out for them. Endless hours were spent shovelling and moving snow, with teachers and other support staff jumping in to help wherever they could. The operations team had their equipment running day in and day out to clear roads and walkways and remove icicles, ensuring all could get around campus safely. With cleaning staff needing to navigate between boarding houses to get the deep cleans done, and the transportation team needing to get the vehicles out safely to pick up students keen to arrive back on campus, it was all hands on deck.
Harrowing tales of driving down the highway to do airport pickups in snowy conditions had one intern in awe at the skill and dedication of the driver who tackled the conditions like only a seasoned professional could. Behind the scenes, with the many flight cancellations and delays due to weather, our transportation manager extraordinaire kept a level head while making all the last-minute revisions to travel plans and dispatching drivers accordingly. Adverse conditions are to be expected during the winter on Vancouver Island, but weather events like this one challenged the best of us and really showed us what our amazing team is made of.
It can be so easy to forget or perhaps not even be aware of what goes on behind the scenes to ensure the safety of each and every student, staff member and their families that are a part of the Shawnigan community. Thanks to the efforts of many members of the Shawnigan community who worked tirelessly over the holidays, we were able to ensure a safe return to campus at the start of term. Shawnigan’s COVID Response Team, teachers, coaches, instructors, dining team, laundry team, and so many others are all so pleased to see how their efforts have enabled students to enter safely into the new term. To our Grounds, Maintenance, Cleaning/Housekeeping, Laundry, and Transportation teams, a huge thank you is in order for all of your hard work during the big snow event that ended an already eventful 2021 and started 2022 off with a bang.
We are all thrilled to have our campus buzzing with energy once again!
Shawnigan Lake School is adhering to all COVID-19 guidelines released by the BC Ministries of Health and Education.
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 13 –18 on Canada’s beautiful West Coast. Our diverse, interdisciplinary and innovative programming helps shape the next generation of global leaders.
