Student Life
Heather Craib, Head Nurse
"I have been the head nurse for 14 years. The clinic has always been a safe place for kids to come. Often it will start off with a student saying they have a headache or aren’t feeling well, but sometimes after talking further you find out that they are having a bad day, or they are dealing with something, or are struggling, and therefore the clinic is often a place for students to come and blow off steam or be heard in a safe and comfortable environment without fear of repercussions.
One of the most rewarding parts of my job is reassuring kids, and being able to talk to parents about what’s going on, and having very honest parent-to-parent conversations, not just about the technicalities, but offering the emotional support that they might need. At the end of the day, I too am a parent and a person who’s here to look after their child like they are my own. Those things are rewarding. I love it when students come into the clinic and say funny things, or come and exchange funny stories, and you get a great laugh out of them when sometimes they might not be having a great day. It’s great being able to help change someone’s whole day around.
I like the Robert Frost poem that goes:
“Shook down on me
The dust of snow
From a hemlock tree
The dust of snow
From a hemlock tree
Has given my heart
A change of mood
And saved some part
Of a day I had rued.”
A change of mood
And saved some part
Of a day I had rued.”
I always think back to this poem when things might not be going well and think, what can I do to change my day or to make someone else’s day better?
Mental health support is evolving. The world has stigmatized mental health for a long time. Not too long ago, people were not even acknowledging it or supporting it. In the last few years, I have seen huge changes in how we are acknowledging mental wellness for staff and students. More and more kids are no longer feeling like they are alone and are getting better at acknowledging what they are going through and reaching out.
The best thing we do here is community. At Shawnigan, we live together. You can’t say something hurtful and then go back home like it didn’t happen. We, the students and staff, make sure that people own their mistakes and their actions and that we are here for each other.
When you look at the staff that took the recent mental health first aid course, it was not only the house directors, but also the housekeepers, our laundry staff, kitchen workers, people in the commissary, everyone feels that they’re here to support the kids.
I am so grateful for Heidi, Keely, Kathy, Erica and Patty, Jenn and Noelani, our school physicians and outside medical support that help take care of our kids. For those who are struggling or feel alone: trust us. We are here for you, and we will help you work through whatever you are going through."
(Heather Craib, Head Nurse)
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.
